The Water Castle
by PinkMartini
Summary: Mina decides to go to England with her Medieval Culture class for the summer and visits a castle that a family has owned for centuries. Not knowing what to expect, she meets Legolas and finds out the wonders of his castle and about their tied past.
1. The Class Trip

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Middle-earth or any characters conjured up from the brilliant mind of J.R.R. Tolkien.

**Author's Note:** I thought I'd make this one a little different and set it in more modern times but with still the same Middle-earth elements in it. Legolas in this story isn't going to exactly be an Elf with the ears. He'll still be immortal but will have the right to give up his immortality like a peredhil. The characters from the book will have different characteristics as well.

**THE WATER CASTLE**

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**Chapter 1: The Class Trip**

The sky outside is turning gray, the white clouds slowly disappearing with its moody temper pouring down to the earth. It's not that dark yet, even with the sky changing color, and it was days like these that Mina actually enjoyed the weather. She enjoys the moderate type of climate that wasn't too sunny or rainy. And too bad she chose the wrong place to be living in—Seattle, Washington.

She laughed at herself for living at a place she had been all her life; a place that she loved and wants to have a family one day….way far, far off into the future. No matter how much it rained, she could never get used to it. But, she would rather have this kind of weather than the dry heat of Texas where she often visits her grandparents. Their overly extravagant house that sits in a gated community is near a lake and private golf course.

All of Mina's friends know her family is well off but she never acted spoiled. Her parents always taught her the value of a dollar and how hard work guarantees success in whatever you do. She was an honor roll student in high school and got accepted to the University of Washington on a full scholarship, which she is very proud of.

Mina sighed, wishing that the lecture she's sitting in was over.

"Pssst! Mina!" her friend, Anastasia, whispered.

"Hmm?" she turned her attention away from the window. "What?"

"You're drooling," she joked.

"Har-har," she sighed again. "He's talking about the foundation of castles longer than an expert archeologist would ever dare."

"I know but class is almost over. Besides, I'd rather sit here than be out there." She looked at the downpour outside the window. Anastasia is one of her closest friends and had known her since high school. Medieval Culture was the only elective class they could get together this semester since they had different majors.

"Okay, everyone, please don't forget to turn in your forms by next week if you are interested in the trip to England this summer," their professor reminded them. "Have a good day and be careful in the rain!"

"Finally." Mina got up from her seat along with the rest of the class.

"Any plans this weekend? Wanna hit up Earl's tonight?" Anastasia asked.

"I can't. I told my mom I'd drive home this weekend to visit. They're leaving again for another vacation soon," she said.

"Your parents should just buy a house at every place they go to since they travel around so much!"

"Don't give them ideas," Mina rolled her eyes. "They barely occupy the current house they live in."

Her parents used to live in upper Queen Anne area where all the rich folks lived but after she left for college, they decided to relocate to Tacoma on Ventura Drive. Her parent's house had 4 Bedrooms, 3.5 Bathrooms and an inground pool with some pretty amazing views of the water. There was also an outdoor kitchen for barbeques and parties.

They liked to live very comfortably even if it was only the two of them now since Mina was in a dorm on campus. Mina didn't understand why her parents wanted a bigger house when they were rarely home. Her father was a lawyer so he was usually in court, and her mother, an executive director of a marketing firm, usually stayed late at the office. However, they always found the time in their busy schedules to travel to Greece, Ibiza, and Paris together.

"Hey, Mina, can I walk you to your car?" Vincent asked. He was the boy with glasses who's had a crush on her since they were freshmen students. He overheard their conversation about her heading home for the weekend.

"Oh, umm…thanks, but I'm actually not leaving yet. Anastasia and I were…just going to the girl's bathroom!" she grabbed her friend and booked it. "See you Monday!"

"That was a nice, _lame_ excuse," Anastasia chuckled when they entered the girl's bathroom to hide for a while. She ran her fingers through her ginger hair, fixing the clip that got out of place after Mina dragged her out of the classroom.

"What else was I supposed to do?!" she asked, trying to get the tangles out of her dark locks that were wet from the rain.

"Umm…telling him you're not interested is a good start," she rolled her eyes.

"Don't you think I've been trying telling him that for the last _four years_ now?!"

"He's going to break you down one of these days, you just watch…" Anastasia smirked.

Mina rolled her eyes. "Anyways, I gotta go. I don't want to get stuck in traffic."

"Okay. Well, have a good weekend!" her friend kissed her on the cheek.

"Thanks. I'll see you Monday."

By the time Mina got to Tacoma, her mother was already cooking dinner, much to her surprise. "Hi, sweetheart," her mother hugged her.

"Hi, mom. Wow…you're actually…cooking?"

"Yes, I'm actually cooking," she looked offended. "Even us busy wives and moms know how to cook their family a nice meal once in a while."

"Where's Marcy?"

"Her father hasn't been feeling well so I told her to take some time off."

"Oh, I see," she opened a can of soda. Marcy was the cook that came every other day to cook for her parents. She would often leave the food in the refrigerator for them to heat up since they came home late most nights. "I hope he's alright."

"Me, too, honey."

"Where's dad?"

"He's working late on a case, but he promises to be home before I'm done cooking."

"Can I help with anything?"

"Nope," she shook her head with a smile. "Just relax until dinner is ready."

"Thanks, mom…"

The meal her mother prepared reminded her of when she was little. She used to cook every night until work started to take up a lot of her time and that's when they hired Marcy. Living at the dorm was a great getaway except when you were craving your favorite meals. That's why Mina enjoyed visiting her parents whenever she could.

"That was a great dinner," her father rubbed his belly. He was a stern man in the courtroom who won many cases, but outside of his job, he was very laid back and easy going with a warm personality.

"I think I'm going to explode…" Mina slouched in her seat.

Her mother laughed. "Take some leftovers back to the dorm with you. I'll pack something extra for Anastasia and Lily on Sunday."

"Thanks…"

"So, sweetheart, how's school?" her father asked, taking a sip of his wine.

"It's good. Classes are almost done so I'm just preparing for finals," she said.

"Didn't you mention a trip with your friends to England this summer?"

"Well, it's not really with my friends, more like my classmates. The professor in my Medieval Culture class is taking a bunch of students around England where the medieval era was the most prominent. We'll be visiting a castle that some guy's family has owned for centuries and touring around the area."

"Sounds fun and interesting!" her mother smiled. "So, are you going to go?"

"I'm still debating," she casually shrugged.

"You should go, Willi," her father said. He was the only one who ever called her Willi, which was short for Willamina, her real name. But, she preferred to go by Mina. "England is full of history and rich with culture. We have a lot of ancestors that came from there—knights and dukes—all kinds of people with titles, even servants."

"You almost sound like my professor, dad," she laughed softly.

"My grandfather used to tell me all kinds of stories that his grandfather told him about all that medieval stuff you're learning about when I was a kid. Where do you think your name Willamina came from?"

"I just figured mom went into labor while watching _Romeo & Juliet_," she smiled jokingly.

"Hey," her mother shook her head, "in my defense, I've always liked the name Juliet. It wasn't fair that your father got to name you so I added Juliet as your middle name."

"Willamina Juliet Mendinhale," her father said proudly. "That sounds pretty elegant and sophisticated, don't you think?"

"Yeah…and medieval," Mina stood up, rolling her eyes, smiling at her parents.

"You know, I named you after a great-aunt that was a princess," her father raised his eyebrows up and down. "I'm not sure how great she was down the line but maybe your sixth great-aunt?"

"Gee, thanks, dad," she just kept smiling while she washed her plate in the sink.

"I never told you the story about her, did I?"

"Nope."

"According to my grandfather, she was very beautiful with long chocolate hair and thick lashes with light blue eyes, much like yours…except you have darker hair," he began. "She was the youngest daughter of the king who fell in love with a man from a neighboring kingdom. War had broken out in his land so the king refused to let her see him in case she got hurt. The war dragged on for years and by the time he was finally able to come to her, she had fallen ill and died…"

"Really?!" She was now intrigued with the story.

"His family supposedly had the secret of immortality, which he was willing to give up to be with her. On her death bed, she told him that she would return to him one day and to wait for her."

"And so did he wait for her?"

"To this very day…" he nodded.

Mina inwardly snorted on the idea. He couldn't really be serious. However, she tried to picture the story in her head about the princess and the man she loved. He must have loved her just as much as she did if he was willing to give up his immortality for her. After thinking it sounded too much like a Disney movie, she laughed it off.

"That's a nice story, dad, but the secret of immortality? Really?" she raised an eyebrow. "No such thing exists in the real world."

"Well, honey, if you think about the medieval days where King Arthur, Merlin, the Holy Grail, and where even dragons existed, immortality doesn't seem so farfetched," he shrugged at the possibility. "There was a lot of magic back then…"

"I guess…but that was eons ago."

"There's a lot of cultures who still believe in those things, especially in Europe," he replied. "It might be silly fables to us Westerners and those who believe in technology and science, but there are still plenty of people who take their heritage seriously."

"You should go, dear," her mother slightly urged. "It's good to experience other cultures. We'll be in Paris for a few weeks. Maybe we can meet up halfway after your school trip is over and go on an actual family vacation?"

"That sounds like a good idea," her father agreed. "The three of us haven't gone on a family vacation in about…three, four years?"

"Yeah, I'll think about it," she nodded, noncommittally.

She went up to her room that her parents kept untouched, exhausted from the hour drive and her mother's dinner, giving her food coma. Her room hadn't changed much, except there were less stuffed animals and more UW Husky paraphernalia that she slowly brought over from school to make it look more 'grownup'.

It was her senior year, meaning she finally needed to figure out her career before the summer was over. A few companies already wanted her, but Mina was still undecided on which job offer to accept. There was still two months left for her to decide so she wasn't rushing it.

"Hello?"

"Hey, girl!" Anastasia said on the other line.

"Hey, what's up?"

"So, a bunch of us were talking about that class to trip to Europe and we figured it would be fun to see the country. It's only for five days then after that, we were thinking of hitting up London. Are you down?" she asked.

"Funny you mentioned it because my parents were just talking about it…"

"Cool! So, yeah? Europe this summer? We can stalk all the cute European boys!" she laughed.

"Yeah, sure…why not?" she finally gave in. "I'll check with my parents about the after trip thing. They wanted to do a family vacation afterwards." Mina yawned after a beat. She didn't know how much longer she could stay awake.

"Okay! Sounds good. Just let me know. See you Monday!"

"Okay…bye." She was glad the conversation ended quickly.

Mina brushed her teeth and changed into her pajamas. It wasn't that late yet so she snuggled under her blankets and turned on the television. She laughed to herself when she saw that _King Arthur_ starring Clive Owen and Keira Knightley was on. She never really told her father, but his own father, who was a Historian, used to tell her similar stories about the medieval days and how her father's side of the family was well established in the king's court, although you wouldn't find any of them in history books.

"The Mendinhale family or _Mendenhalle_, as we were known, was a strong family back in the seventeenth and eighteenth century in Europe. We were knights slaying dragons and evil creatures, kings ruling the lands, and princesses catching the eyes of princes!" he would say with pride. "After the Mendehalle's moved to the Americas, much of our ancient history was lost and a new one began…"

She was never much for learning history since it required too much research so she always tried to get her grandfather to help her but he shortly died after her sophomore year in high school. Her father never talked much about him after that and put most of his research and books in boxes in the upstairs attic.

Mina finally fell asleep, dreaming about standing on a dock somewhere by a castle watching the sea with her hair blowing against the wind. When she woke up, Saturday morning cartoons were on. She turned off the show and sat up thinking about the strange dream. The way the wind felt on her skin seemed so real and it gave her goose bumps.

"Honey?" her mother knocked on her door.

"Yeah?"

"Good morning," she smiled.

"Good morning."

"I just wanted to see if you were okay?" she asked, looking a little concerned.

"Yeah, why?"

"I passed by your room last night and you fell asleep with the tv on."

"Oh, sorry…"

"You were also talking in your sleep, honey."

"I was?! What was I saying?"

"You were talking about how beautiful the sea was and calling someone, 'my love'."

"What?" she gave her a baffling look and embarrassed that her mother heard her say something like that.

"It also sounded like you were very sad in your dream."

"That's weird." Mina was so confused. "I never talk in my sleep…"

"I know, that's why I thought to ask you," her mother replied. "What was your dream about?"

"Just me looking at the sea, that's all. I don't remember talking to anyone or even talking at all," she shrugged.

"Maybe you just remembered the end of it?" her mother assumed.

"Yeah, I guess so," she shrugged again.

"Well, I thought I'd just check on you," she patted her leg, smiling. "Come down for breakfast when you're ready. Your father had some things to finish up at the office. I'm going to my palliates class and I'll be back around noon or so. Will you be okay by yourself?"

Mina laughed. "Yeah, mom. You forget I used to live with you guys."

For the rest of the weekend, she tried to spend as much time with her parents, watching the UW Husky game against the WSU Cougars and cheering at the tv when the Huskies won. Her parents had also gone to UW, where they met. They were big on movies as well, renting as many as they could and watching it until it was dark out. They were a very simple family at heart, enjoying things together that didn't require a lot of planning.

"I'm gonna go now," Mina stretched after the last movie they watched. "I want to do some laundry before tomorrow."

"Okay, sweetie," her mother stood up. "Let me pack some of the leftovers so you can bring it back with you."

"Oh, by the way, dad, I've decided to go on that Europe trip with my class," she told her father.

"That's good to hear, sweetheart. We'll exchange itineraries and meet somewhere in the middle."

"I might spend a few days in London with my friends then I can meet up with you guys afterwards."

"Okay, honey," her dad said, still focused on the tv.

"Here you go," her mother handed her a bag with food wrapped in aluminum foil.

"Thanks, mom," she smiled.

"Go ahead and keep the tupperware, we have plenty."

Mina kissed her mother and father and said good-bye. She left for campus with it still raining outside. The thing about Seattleites is that no matter how much it rained, people still didn't know how to drive it in. Even when it was sunny, it was the same thing. There was traffic everywhere.

There was something about the dream she had that lingered with her. It felt like a scene from a movie. She remembered the sea looking beautiful with the sun setting over the horizon, cascading a beam of light like a pathway on its waters that she could walk on and disappear into the distance.

"_Soon, my love_…" she heard her mind echo.

Someone suddenly honked at her, startling her out of her reverie, not realizing that the traffic in her lane had finally started moving again.

"This is no time to be daydreaming, Mina," she told herself. The weather outside wasn't really the ideal setting to be thinking about mysterious dreams that made no sense.

"Hey, Mina!" Lily, her roommate, greeted her when she walked into the dorm room. She was drying her hair with a towel as she plopped down on her bed.

"Hey, Lil," she said, taking off her wet jacket and placing it by the heater.

"How was your parents this weekend?"

"It was good. Oh, by the way, here's some leftovers my mom packed for you."

"Aww, that's nice. Your mom is so sweet!" Lily took the brown bag from her. "Tell her I said thank you!"

"Yup. Will do."

"Anyways, I'm going the library to study. I'll see you later," she smiled and walked out with her umbrella.

Lily Gillian was a tall girl with brown hair and hazel eyes. She also studied nonstop and was rarely in their dorm room. She was either in the library or at her boyfriend's place who graduated the year before them.

Mina sighed when she looked at her laundry. She forgot to bring it to her parents because she was trying to get away from Vincent Pepper after class on Friday. Luckily, she had enough quarters to get her through her two loads of laundry. She sat there at the laundry mat watching the machine spin quietly with her clothes swirling around inside. Her mind started drifting back to the dream. She couldn't remember much of it but it was hard to forget for some reason. No dream before had made such an impact on her and she didn't understand why this one was so intriguing and was still on her mind.

The machine buzzed, making her jump just like the car did earlier that honked at her during traffic. She really needed to stop letting things like that get to her. She shook off the feeling, gathered her things in her basket, and went back to her dorm. Only a two weeks left of class and then…it was off to Europe.

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**Author's Note:** So, how was the first chapter? Hope you liked it. Please review!


	2. Light Reading

**CHAPTER 2: Light Reading**

"All right, everyone!" their professor, Mr. Wilkins, called out, "Please be sure to have your passports and boarding passes on hand as you walk through security."

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport was jammed packed with families going on vacation for the summer. Mr. Wilkins told everyone to be there at least 2 hours before departure as they had to go through customs. He also wanted to make sure everyone was accounted for since he was responsible for the eighteen students on this trip.

"You didn't tell me Vincent was going!" Mina whispered harshly to Anastasia.

"What?" she shrugged. "You never asked. Besides, you know he'd go regardless if you did or not. Just ignore him," she pushed her along to join the rest of the group.

"I'm getting something to eat at the Burger King around the corner, did you want anything Mina?" Vincent asked as they were finally by their gate, waiting for their plane to arrive. "I don't mind getting you something if you're hungry. Or maybe…we could even share?" he blushed.

"No, thanks," she smiled politely. "I'm not hungry."

"I am!" Anastasia blurted out smiling. "If you could get me a junior whopper that'd be great!"

"Umm…okay…" Vincent left with his head down, adjusting his glasses.

"Really, Anastasia?" Mina scolded her with a thin frown.

"What? It's not like I asked him to get a whole meal. Those burgers are only like a dollar anyway," she tried to justify her request. "Besides, I'm starving!"

Mina just rolled her eyes at her friend. Anastasia Fitzpatrick had ginger hair, green eyes, and was a lot more out-going and bolder than Mina. She didn't have a filter most of the time and spoke before thinking, which made some people uncomfortable about her comments. Everyone knew what her personality was like but didn't say anything to her about it, except for Mina.

"You could have bought it yourself for a dollar," she gave her another scolding look.

"But he's so sweet and willing," her friend smiled innocently. Another trait of Anastasia's was getting her way with boys.

"Umm…here you go, Ana," Vincent handed her the burger she wanted. Vincent Pepper was predominantly a shy, quiet person with short dark hair and glasses. No matter how many times Mina rejected his friendly offers and requests to hang out he was still persistent on getting her to notice him. He found her to be beautiful, smart, and nice. The three things he wanted in a first girlfriend. He was also just a nice person by nature, a pushover by most standards.

For the rest of the time, Mina and Anastasia sat on the floor figuring out their itinerary in England. "Okay, so the rest of the gang will meet us in London that Sunday after the trip is over," Anastasia wrote down. "Margie has a cousin who will let us stay with her. It might be a little cramped with five people but we'll make do. We'll go sightseeing, take some pictures, buy some souvenirs, check out the pubs, and scope out hot English guys!" she said enthusiastically.

"Sounds like a plan," Mina sighed at the places they marked on the map of London they printed out. "I can only stay with you guys for about two or three days. I might meet up with my parents in Paris afterwards."

"You always get to go on the coolest trips with your parents," she sighed, wishing she could go with her.

"Hardly," Mina replied. "I'm usually busy with school while they're abroad somewhere. This is our first family trip together since…forever."

"Okay, everyone!" Mr. Wilkins came around. "The plane is getting ready to board us. Please reply when I call your name," he went through his checklist. One by the one the students raised their hands or said 'here' like they did in class.

"My first trip out of the country!" Anastasia said excitedly to her friend. Mina just smiled.

Because the seats were assigned randomly with everyone's name attached to it, Mr. Wilkins wouldn't allow the students to switch seats with anyone so they were stuck where they were for the next several hours. Mina got lucky with a window seat. Anastasia had a sour face sitting in the middle seat with two football player looking businessmen on the either side of her who didn't look interested in getting to know here for the duration of their flight. Vincent was in row with an elderly woman, telling him how she loved to knit.

None of them got much sleep due to having to pack for the trip while cramming for finals so most of the students and even Mr. Wilkins fell asleep as soon as the plane left the ground. Mina watched the beautiful green trees outside the window that cascaded around Washington state and how peaceful the Emerald City looked under the gray clouds. She really couldn't imagine living anywhere else as the landscape made her smile.

She finally yawned and decided to take a nap like the rest of her group since it was going to be a long flight to the other side of the world. She dreamed about different Renaissance paintings, ball grown dresses, classical music and white horses. She felt like she was really there participating and mingling with the people around her and having a great time. However, the sudden turbulence of the plane woke her from her reverie, just before someone had asked her to dance.

"Sorry about that folks," the captain said through the speakers. "We'll be experiencing a few more bumps on our way to England, but they're nothing to be concerned about. I hope everyone is still enjoying the in-flight movie."

Mina sat up straight to focus on what was going on around her. An in-flight movie had started with snacks being passed out. A good majority of the passengers were watching _The Prince of Persia. _It was a new movie that just came out on DVD and Blue-ray so everyone was interested in it. But, she had already seen it twice in the theaters so she wasn't into it as much as the other passengers. She was more focused on these weird dreams about the medieval days she's been having lately.

With her father's story and the reason why they were going to England in the first place, she figured it had to do with something on a subconscious level that's been triggering these images in her mind. It's not that she minded having them, they were actually interesting to witness, but just the theme of every dream the same was getting a little old. She was also surprised how vivid they were and she usually doesn't remember most of her dreams.

How many people really had the same type of dream consecutively? Mina remembered hearing that people had a hundred dreams a night and that's why we sometimes have multiple dreams we remember, and some dreams we'll remember when we wake up but then easily forget within a matter of minutes. The longest dream to last was also said to be twenty minutes long.

Knowing this, Mina wished her dreams lately fit into one of these categories but they didn't. If she was having multiple dreams, they all felt like one random dream tied together. When she woke up, she still remembered the motions she went through vividly except for the people around her. No matter how much she tried to remember what they looked like, her mind kept blurring their faces. She yawned again and checked where they were currently flying over. There was two hours left until they landed at Heathrow Airport. She was surprised she had slept for that long. After their in-flight meal, the airplane started becoming more alive with people finally talking to each other and laughing.

While everyone was busy socializing, she took out a small book from inside her carry on. Before she left her parent's house, Mina had gone into the attic and opened boxes full of her grandfather's old documents and books. One thing she found interesting was an old book that actually held some of her family's past journal entries that had been documented over the past few centuries. To preserve the original copies, her grandfather had photocopied inserts and made them into this book. It was simply titled, _Mendenhalle_. The dedication inside said, "For anyone who so chooses to learn the past."

A gut instinct had told her to bring it with her on this trip and that it could be of some good use while they visited this ancient castle and its surrounding area. The man that owned it was supposedly some type of Knight or Duke who's family had lived in this castle for centuries, past down from generation to generation. Mr. Wilkins didn't tell them if the man had a family. Maybe because he didn't ask for any personal background on him.

This was the first time their professor had taken this trip with his students, so essentially they were his guinea pigs. They would determine if this trip was a success or a failure for the next time he decides to do this again with his class. He asked well-known historians and those who majored in geography for the best locations where he could hold this adventure he had been dreaming about for years. An old English colleague he met through a writer's club recommended the castle that they were going to visit. Mr. Wilkins was able to get a hold of the owner who kindly offered for them to stay there at no extra charge. The man said he always welcomed company in the castle and supported those who had a thirst for learning about the past. He also planned an itinerary for them that even Mr. Wilkins was curious to know about.

Mina flipped through the pages of the book and stopped at a random page in the middle, which was a journal entry by Elise Mendenhalle. She had beautiful handwriting so Mina decided to start reading from there. The first thing she saw at the top of the page was "_III 3018 October 25_" which didn't make sense to her. It looked like the date of the entry but the year listed threw her off. She assumed they went by a different calendar format back in those days and continued reading.

_III 3018 October 25_

_My dear love, Lance, is as handsome as ever. The way his blue eyes sparkle when he looks at me reminds me of a million stars in the skies above. I see his soul through his eyes, so pure and true, that it gives me no doubt in my heart that we will be together forever._

_He has brought me calla lilies again today, my favorite kind of flowers. He remains a gentleman, kissing my hand and keeping his distance when my father is near. The playful smirk I see in his eyes tells me he wishes to be closer to me, and within that exchange of glances, we see no one but each other…_

"Wow," Mina mouthed to herself.

Her ancestor Elise seemed head over heels in love with this guy, Lance. It sounded sweet to read and to probably experience that kind of love, but if you were caught saying something like this these days, you'd probably get laughed at. No one talked like that anymore, even though it came straight from the heart. Mina never thought of herself as a sappy, romantic kind of person, but she believed in chivalry and trying to sweep a girl off her feet. It made the girl know how you really felt about her, especially if she was playing hard to get on purpose. However, in Vincent's little world, that wasn't the case with her. She wasn't playing hard to get…she just didn't want to get caught at all because she wasn't interested!

She looked at the next page.

_III 3018 October 26_

_Almost Every day now, sweet Lance has come to visit me, always bearing gifts for me which I appreciate greatly. But, his love is enough for me and no treasures of this world could ever compare to it. _

_There is a great ball to be held in his kingdom and father has allowed me to go. Because of the feuding countryside, he insists on doubling my escort, but Lance has convinced him that no harm will come to me and will escort me personally. Father has always been over-protective and will not listen to assurances so easily. However, I cannot blame him. I am his youngest daughter of three. Luckily, father and Lance are both very good friends and know that he is trustworthy…_

Mina started wondering what Lance's last name was if Elise was the one who was supposed to be her ancestor. If they had gotten married, her last name would have changed. The ball she mentioned in her journal reminded her of the recent dream she had of being at a ball and dancing with someone in a crowd. She finally remembered that she couldn't see anyone's face because it was a masked ball, which was popular to have back then. Why she was dreaming of a ball…she had no idea.

"This is Captain Montgomery," the voice said over the speakers, "we'll be descending into Heathrow Airport in a few minutes, so please keep your seatbelts on until the seatbelt sign is turned off."

She looked up and saw everyone getting ready to land. People had their cell phones in their hands, ready to turn them on as soon as the plane taxied on the runway. She hasn't realized that she had been reading the journal for last two hours.

"Miss, please put on your seatbelt," the flight attended smiled.

By the time the plane doors opened, Anastasia was already shoving her way into the aisle. "C'mon, Mina!" she grabbed her, getting dirty looks from the other passengers. Mina smiled at them, apologizing for her friend.

"Finally!" Mina stretched her arms as they exited the gate.

"We're finally in Europe!" Anastasia shook her with excitement.

"I know!" she rolled her eyes, laughing. Mina looked around the airport seeing how much bigger it was than Sea-Tac and sighed. "So…we're finally here…"

* * *

**Author's Note:** I just picked a random date in the Third Age.


	3. The Water Castle

**CHAPTER 3: The Water Castle**

It was a long bus ride from the airport to the countryside of England where the castle is located. The weather here is even gloomier than it was in Seattle and strangely colder when it's supposed to be summer, or at least in the States. However, the scenery was very peaceful to look at.

Everyone was sitting quietly looking out the window or in small conversations about what they were seeing and what they think they'll see once they arrive at their destination. The students speculated it as a rundown castle with cracks and dusty rooms, a place falling apart at the seams. But, the only thing they really knew about it was that it was located in the woods with a view of the water. Even Mr. Wilkins didn't know what to expect. He was just as excited as some of the students. "We're passing by the town so we should be there soon," he announced. Some yawned and stretched while others sat up straight to see the road ahead.

Mr. Wilkins clarified to the students that they were only staying at the castle for three days and two nights. After that, they were going to relocate closer to the city where there was a museum that held ancient, medieval artifacts they were going to look at.

Mina looked towards the other window of the bus and saw a small town behind the row of trees they were passing. It looked like a quaint little village with old fashion chimneys, dirt roads, horses, women in long, simple dresses, and men in suspenders. "It doesn't look like the twenty-first century has hit this town yet," Anastasia commented as she looked out the window like everyone else. "Do any of these people even have a cell phone?"

"I doubt they even have a television set that's not in black and white," a boy named Andrew said, who got laughs from the seats around him.

They drove through the woods that they had never seen likes of before. It was full of trees varying in sizes with small and big leaves. Even the woodland creatures didn't seem frightened as the Grey Hound bus went by. It had an eerie yet relaxing feel to it. "So, where's this castle anyway?" someone asked the bus driver.

"You'll see it right after the clearing. Right….there," he pointed in front of him.

The students and Mr. Wilkins all lifted themselves off their seats to get a better view of the castle. "Wow," Mr. Wilkins eyes lit up. "It's…amazing…"

At the edge of the forest was the castle that had a long arched bridge made of stone which led to the castle grounds. It looked as if it was on an island by itself with only the bridge connecting it to the land as the castle was enclosed by water. There were also black torches placed on either side of the bridge, making the entrance seem more regal as they approached. The castle was dressed with multiple arches and walkways in its design. The towers tops were wide pointed cones colored in dark sienna and the greenery that surrounded it had a pebbled shore with access to the water. There were several people standing by the huge entrance when the bus pulled up through the open gate. They were all standing in a line, dressed in similar attire, which they assumed were the owner's servants.

Mr. Wilkins stepped off the bus with the students still in awe, following behind him. The sunbeams breaking through the clouds shone brightly on the castle making it look more beautiful to gaze upon.

"You are Mr. Robert Wilkins, I presume?" a man with short white hair and grayish eyes approached him. He was dressed in black slacks and a black vest with a white dress shirt underneath.

"Yes, I am!" Mr. Wilkins smiled at him, shaking his hand firmly, which the man wasn't expecting. "Thank you for having us!"

"I am Gandalf, the Master's head servant," he bowed his head. "They will take care of your luggage and show you to your proper wings in the castle," he motioned with his hand to the servants. "And, as you also requested, the boy's quarters have been separated from the girls."

"Thank you," he smiled again. "Is…Sir Greenleaf here?"

"Sorry to keep you all waiting!" A man with blonde hair and bright blue eyes stepped out of the massive front door with a smile. His hair was past his shoulders, tied in a ponytail. He seemed young and very handsome. He was wearing a sweater and a pea coat jacket.

"There he is now," Gandalf turned around.

The girls in the group started whispering at how attractive he was and didn't mind if they stayed at the castle a few extra nights while the boys rolled their eyes. Even Mina thought he was good looking. Anastasia squeezed her arm indicating that she thought the same thing. Vincent noticed Mina staring at him and wasn't too happy about it.

"I am Legolas Greenleaf and welcome to my home," he said to the group. "The forest you passed that also sits on this property is known as Mirkwood Forest. Because a body of water surrounds us, the locals also refer to this place as the Water Castle. Please make yourselves at home and feel free to venture around the grounds. Very few doors are locked. But, please do be careful as I wouldn't want any of you getting lost," he smiled jokingly.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Sir Greenleaf," Mr. Wilkins replied, shaking his hand. "Your castle is magnificent!"

"Please, call me Legolas…and thank you. It has been in my family for centuries. We try to upkeep it as best as we can so that it stands the test of time," he laughed softly. "We have twelve hundred rooms in the castle and each one is heated so you should stay warm in the evenings. There are also two main kitchens fully staffed until nine in the evening if you or any of your students get hungry. Our chefs have prepared a five course meal for you tonight in the main dinning hall at seven."

"Well…thank you!" The professor was speechless. This was more than he had ever dreamed of. He couldn't wait to see what the inside of the castle looked like.

"As Gandalf has probably told you, the girls' and boys' quarters have been separated. To make it easier to take attendance of your students, each chamber has a room number attached to it. So, please go ahead and get settled into your rooms and I will meet you in the main foyer before dinner."

"Sounds perfect," he smiled again.

"I will also pass out an itinerary after dinner that will cover your two days here. I very much hope you enjoy what we have planned for you," Legolas smiled back.

Mr. Wilkins' eyes were full of excitement. "Oh, I'm sure we will." Legolas and the professor chit-chatted for a little longer about the estate and so did the students who started their own conversations while they waited to enter the castle. Anastasia had said a funny comment about the small village that made Mina laugh. Legolas' ears perked up to the sound and glanced in her direction.

His eyes went wide with surprise for a quick moment. Mr. Wilkins continued to talk, admiring the gargoyle statues around the front door, not noticing how he wasn't listening. Mina finally caught his gaze, glancing at him twice to make sure he was staring at _her_. She smiled uncomfortably and went back to the conversation with her friends. She also tried to hide herself behind another student so that she didn't have to see him in her peripheral vision.

"Mr. Wilkins…" Legolas brought his attention back to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

Mr. Wilkins stopped talking abruptly, lost in his own babble. "Oh—yes?"

"Why don't we carry on this conversation at another time? It's starting to get cold and I'm sure you and your students want to relax and freshen up before dinner."

"Ah, yes! Yes, you're right…and please, call me Robert. All right, everyone!" he waved to the students, "I want the boys on this side and the girls on that side!"

They groaned for being split up when they wanted to stay close to their friends. The servants took their luggage and led them to their respective rooms. Anastasia was talking to Mina about something but she wasn't paying attention. She glanced at Legolas again as they walked inside his castle. He was talking to the head servant, Gandalf, about something that seemed important. Both glanced at her, Gandalf giving her the same expression Legolas did earlier and nodded at his Master. She didn't know what it meant but it concerned her somehow. The two men walked over to her professor asking him something, Mr. Wilkins nodding and looking through a list he had. He smiled again nodding his head as if he understood what they wanted.

Inside the castle were different kinds of paintings, tables, thick velvet drapes, furniture and a variety of candles. One feature that stood out the most about the main foyer were the yellow crystal tube-like chandeliers with circular bottoms that hung on either side of the room against the white marble walls. They lit the room brightly in the dark hall. Engraved on the tiled floor was a picture of a leaf, colored in gold, with some kind of calligraphy designed around it in a shape of a circle.

"What is that?" one of the students asked.

"That is the Greenleaf family crest," Gandalf answered, walking in last. "The design you see around it is actually an old ancient dialect."

"What does it say?" Vincent spoke up.

Gandalf smiled at him. "It says, "Yesterday is the past, tomorrow is the future, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.'"

"That's very interesting," Mr. Wilkins commented, pondering on the words.

"They are words of wisdom my family has gone by for very a long time," Legolas stepped out of the shadows.

"It's very nice," Mr. Wilkins smiled politely. Legolas thanked him and excused himself to attend to some business. He glanced at Mina again with curious eyes, smiling to himself.

"Ouch! What was that for?" Mina rubbed her arm. Anastasia had discreetly elbowed her.

"Uhh…_hello_?Did you see the way he was looking at you?"

"Yeah…creepy-like…" Mina rolled her eyes with a shrug.

"That wasn't creepy. He was staring at you like he was interested in you or something," she laughed playfully.

"Can you not think about the opposite sex for half a second, Ana?" Mina sighed.

"I did. And now the half a second is over," she winked.

"That guy is probably well into his thirties and is used to dating European models. What would he want with a college student from America?" she tried to point out.

"Whatever, Mina! You look like a model yourself!" Anastasia looked up and down at her features. "You have long dark hair, gorgeous blue eyes behind those thick lashes of yours, a nice fair complexion, long sexy legs, and you're what? Five-foot-nine?"

"Five-foot-eight. I also like long walks on the beach, candlelight dinners, and classical music," she joked, smirking at her friend.

"I'm just saying anything can go with these wealthy European guys. You could become a Duchess or Baroness or whatever title his counterpart would have if you gave him a chance."

"He's not interested in me!" Mina laughed off her friend's speculations. "You always think that about every guy who glances or just politely smiles at me."

"Mina, sweetie, you're gorgeous. You just hide too much from boys," she gave her a look.

"I am not hiding!" she looked offended. "I'm just…busy."

"Busy for the last two years? The last time you had a real boyfriend? Remember, I'm in Law School so don't talk to me about being busy. I work hard and know to play even harder."

"Well, you're more out-going and excitable than I am," she replied.

With Anastasia's personality, Mina would have never guessed she was in Law School if she wasn't her best friend. She was very studious during the day and loved to be challenged in debates, but at night, she was a completely different person, always at every party and the club circuit.

"I do get excited easily, don't I?" Anastasia laughed at herself.

"Everyone, please follow the servant who has your luggage. They will take you to your rooms," Gandalf said. The students' belongings were separated earlier so that one set of servants had the girls, while the other set had the boys. Everyone was happy that they had their own individual rooms.

"Please try to remain in your rooms before dinner," Mr. Wilkins instructed. "We'll meet back here around six forty-five."

The students followed the servants with their luggage and made their way up the white marble stairs case. Mina looked for hers and saw the servant carrying it speaking to Gandalf. The servant nodded and turned to face Mina with a smile. Gandalf slightly bowed his head at her and left.

"Hello, milady," she said with her thick British accent.

"Hi," Mina half-smiled.

"Please follow me."

Mina followed the woman who was about her height, slim, and very proper when she stood. "It's okay, I can carry my bags," she tried to tell her. She felt bad having her carry her things up the flight of stairs that seems to go on forever.

"It's no trouble at all," she smiled. To Mina's surprise she carried her belongings like a champ with one hand, not even breaking a sweat or showing signs of getting tired. By the time they got to the third floor, the rest of the girls were already squealing in the hallway at how nice their rooms were, running in and out of the doors to see the other person's room décor. From what she could tell, they had couches and tables inside with bathrooms. It had a very strong Renaissance feel to them. It made her more curious to see her own room's décor.

They were nearing the last door with a number on it but the servant didn't appear to be slowing down. Soon, they were far past where all the other girls were. "Umm…excuse me," Mina finally said something. "But, shouldn't my room be over there…with the rest of the girls?"

"Sir Gandalf has changed your room, milady," she answered.

"What? I'm sorry…I'm a little confused."

"I was only told that the room you were assigned to would no longer suffice and instructed to take you to the Galadrian Chamber."

"The…Galadrian Chamber?" she gave the servant a confused look. It sounded like a fancy name for a room where they tortured people, she thought.

"Here we are. I apologize for the distance from your group." She swung the door widely.

Mina stepped inside and was blown away by the size of the room. "This is where I'm _sleeping_?" she looked at her questioningly.

"Yes, milady."

It looked like Cinderella's living room. There was a chandelier hanging from the ceiling with a painted design on the ceiling wall around it. Instead of carpet, the floor was tiled in light reds and browns that meshed together with a fire place in the corner, a small silver tea set, a black baby grand piano, and an ivory two seat Baroque couch with an antique coffee table with candles on it. "I really don't need a room this big," she told the servant.

"I'm afraid you will have to take that up with Sir Gandalf or Master Legolas if you wish to change rooms," she smiled apologetically. "Your bathroom is there," she pointed to another room with an arched doorway, "and your bedroom is located there," she pointed straight ahead.

"Well…thank you," Mina smiled back politely.

"Enjoy your stay, milady," the servant bowed her head and closed the door quietly behind her.

Mina placed her hands on her hips and sighed, taking one good look around the place. Anastasia would flip once she sees this space. There were three short stairs that led to inside the bathroom, which was elevated from the rest of the room. It was just as fancy as everything else was but not fancier than the bedroom.

The entrance to the bedroom also had an arched entryway, with a thick gold rim around it and the entire wall had a mural painted of three maidens playing in a garden with colorful flowers and green trees with green mountains in the background and a white castle on the side. Mina walked in and was not disappointed. The walls were also covered in different murals. There was a four-post bed in the middle of the room with sheer drapes hanging down and the whitest pair of bed sheets she had ever seen. It came with a thick duvet blanket and several extra pillows for decoration. At the end of the bed was another ivory Baroque bed footstool and in the corner was a yet another antique chair with an ottoman. There was even a chaise lounge sofa where she could sit. It was all quite unbelievable. As she began to unpack, someone knocked on the door.

"Oh, Mr. Wilkins," she was surprised to see him.

"Wow…nice upgrade," he took a look around from where he was standing.

"Sorry," she opened the door wider, "please come in."

"I must say, the other students will be sorely jealous of you," he walked around the living room.

"Yeah…about this room…why did they put me in here? Don't get me wrong, it's a great room, but kind of over the top and I feel so far from the rest of the girls," she frowned.

"I know and I'm sorry, Mina. But, the room you were going to be assigned in had some water damage in the bathroom that they just found out about so they closed that room off. Apparently, there was a storm a few days ago that flooded some of this area and this was the only available room they had in this wing," he explained. "I say just enjoy your upgrade," he smiled. "I was a little overwhelmed by my room, too. But, it's nothing compared to yours."

"It's not really fair that I get a bigger room than everyone else. Can't I just bunk with Anastasia or something?" she asked.

"Mina, you're in a castle that is centuries old, staying in a beautiful room where only maidens and princesses have slept in, with an amazing view overlooking the water. Are you sure you really want to bunk with Anastasia? We both know how loud she can be at times…"

"Yeah, I know…" she answered quietly. Her professor had a point. Mina knew if she bunked with Anastasia, she would never get any peace and quiet since her friend was a talker and liked to stay up late.

"Most of the girls on this trip would die to have this room," he threw in. "Just enjoy it."

She finally gave in and said she would accept the room. Mr. Wilkins's plan worked and walked out satisfied with her decision. There was an hour left to get ready before they all had to meet back in the main foyer downstairs so Mina took a quick shower and changed. She was surprised that there was a stand up shower separate from the huge jacuzzi tub in the middle of the bathroom. There was even a flat screen tv in the living room.

"Mina?" she heard Anastasia's voice by the door.

"I'm in here!" she called out.

Anastasia walked into the bedroom with her mouth half-opened. "Are you joking me?" she exclaimed. "How did you score a room like this?" she jumped on the bed in a sitting position. "All Mr. Wilkins said was that there was kind of damage to your room so they put you in here. He never said you were going to be put in a first class suite!"

"I asked for a smaller room but there was nothing left on this side…even though we passed by a bunch of unused rooms," she replied, sounding a little bitter.

Anastasia got up and walked around, picking up random items and examining them. "I wouldn't switch rooms if I were you. How often do you get to stay for free in a room like this? It looks like an apartment the Royal British Family would rent out to their relatives."

"Yeah, it's pretty girlie, isn't it?" Mina laughed softly. "But it's actually pretty cozy."

"All the rooms we're in are pretty nice. It's like the royal treatment around here. That Greenleaf guy seems like a gentleman and is pretty handsome…I wonder why he's not married?" Anastasia thought.

Mina shrugged, sweeping her long bangs to the side in the mirror. "Maybe he's looking for someone that's not just after his wealth or his title?"

"I could fit that bill," Anastasia smirked. "I have no idea how much money he's worth or what his title even is. All I know is that he's cute and once I become a lawyer and once we combine our net worth together, we'll be unstoppable!"

"Oh, jeez, Ana, we've barely been here for a day," Mina rolled her eyes, which made her friend laugh. "C'mon, let's go…"

In the main hallway where they waited, everyone was still talking about their rooms and how excited they were to see the rest of the castle. It was dark outside now with the chandeliers giving the room a light glow. Mina stood there quietly while Anastasia boasted for her on how big her room was. It wasn't really something she wanted the others to know in case they felt like they were getting shorted, even though each room looked just as posh.

"Mr. Greenleaf! Excuse me, I mean…Legolas…" Mr. Wilkins greeted him as he came from one of the smaller hallways.

"Hello, everyone," he smiled. "I hope you have gotten a chance to unpack."

"Yeah, the rooms are awesome!" one of the boys commented, receiving quiet laughs from the group.

Legolas laughed along, "Well, I'm glad to hear that. We would like your stay here to be as comfortable as possible. Now, shall we eat?"

"Yes!" they cheered.

"Please follow me," he glanced at Mina before taking the lead.

Anastasia elbowed her again. "Stop it!" she hissed quietly and told her friend not to do anything else that would embarrass her.

The group sat in a long mahogany table with a cream tablecloth covering it with candles placed in rows in the middle and silverware for each person with wine goblets. "Please sit anywhere you like. We have water, sodas, and tea available. Robert," he turned to the professor, "would you like a glass of wine?" The thought of it was tempting, but Mr. Wilkins declined since he was around his students and had to remain accountable for his actions, along with keeping an eye on each one of them.

"Our wonderful chefs have prepared a five course meal for us. They are always delighted to have guests because it gives them a chance to shine in the kitchen. If you do not like something that has been laid out in front of you, by all means, please don't force yourself to eat it. They, nor will I, will take offense if the food is not to your liking. They can always make you something else," he smiled again. "If you are also allergic to anything, please let me know."

Everyone shook their heads, ready to eat whatever was on the menu. One by one, plates were brought out on the table, different beverages were given, and the conversations began. It felt like a Thanksgiving meal. The students and Mr. Wilkins enjoyed all the dishes that the servants brought out, as everything tasted delicious. By the time dessert came around, everyone was already slouching in their seats from eating too much.

Legolas stood up after he saw everyone was almost done. "To make your stay here at the castle more memorable, we have drawn up an itinerary for your group for the next two days. Since you are here to experience what the Renaissance era was like, we have prepared a few games and also included a scavenger hunt around the town with prizes for the winners."

The students grew excited since they were actually doing something fun while they were here and because most of them were dreading going to the museum. The servants passed out pieces of papers that listed what they were going to do for the next two days.

"We're going to a ball?" one of the girls asked.

"Yes," Legolas nodded. "There will be a ball held in the grand ballroom on your last night."

"But, I don't have anything wear!" another girl exclaimed sadly. Some of the girls began to frown since they weren't aware of the festivities. Otherwise, they would have brought necessary attires.

"Don't worry, ladies. Ball gown dresses for you and tunics for the gentlemen will be provided for the games and the ball," he smiled. The crowd started getting even more excited.

"We have to wake up at what time?" Anastasia glanced at the paper in front of her.

"I know it's a little early, but we won't be able to fit all the games in one day if we start late," he explained. "Most games back then started right at dawn."

"Lucky for us we don't have be ready until 7 a.m.," one of the boys snickered.

"All right, settle down," Mr. Wilkins said to his students who were laughing and couldn't believe how early they were starting. "I'm taking a head count tomorrow so make sure you're there. And, don't forget, I still hold the power in what final grade you get for this extra credit, which goes on your official transcripts." They all groaned at his tactics of making sure they all attended on time.

Legolas smiled at his cleverness. "I will have two chest trunks waiting for you at 6:30 a.m. in the main foyer with different outfits for you to choose from."

When dinner was over, everyone went back to their rooms. Mr. Wilkins instructed everyone to go to bed early because most of them were still probably jetlagged from the trip. Although Legolas gave them permission to roam around the castle, he wanted everyone in their rooms or at least on their floors by ten and lights out by ten-thirty.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Mina said to Anastasia, as many of girls in their wing were getting either ready for bed or still mingling in each other's rooms.

"You don't want to hang out for a while?" Anastasia yawned, which caused Mina to yawn as well.

"No, I'm tired," she stretched. "It's been a long day."

"Wake me up tomorrow then!"

"Sure…good night."

"Good night, Willamina!" Anastasia blew her a playful kiss. Mina rolled her eyes, smiling at her friend. She sometimes called her Willamina for fun since she knew she wasn't extremely fond of the traditional name.

Mina brushed her teeth and washed her face, still marveling at the spacious bathroom. She wasn't expecting her room to be this warm so she just put on a pair of short-shorts and a fitted t-shirt. Just as she was turning off the main lights in the living room, a light knock came to her door.

"Who is it?" she asked curiously. Usually Anastasia would knock and let herself in before answering so it couldn't have been her.

"Legolas Greenleaf."

Crap! Mina scrambled back to her room to find the bathrobe she kept debating whether or not to bring with her on the trip. She didn't want the owner of the castle to see her in the thin attire she called pajamas. She took a deep breath, holding the bathrobe tightly around her body, and opened the door. "Hello…Mister—err Sir…Greenleaf."

"Forgive me, I know it's late. I just wanted to make sure your room transfer went well," he said.

"Oh, yes," she nodded. "Thank you…please, come in." He smiled and took a few steps into the living room. He didn't want to intrude on her space so he stood closer to the door. "It's a gorgeous room."

"Yes, it is," he agreed. "This is the housekeeping staff's favorite room to clean in this wing," he smiled. Mina smiled back politely. Legolas couldn't help but stare at her as she looked away shyly. "My apologies, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable…you just have very beautiful eyes. It's been a long time since I've seen anyone with eyes like yours. It's not a very common trait to have."

"Thank you," she nodded quietly. "Only a few of my ancestors were known to have light blue eyes on my dad's side of the family…mostly the females, so I'm told."

"Really? How interesting. Would you mind if asked what your surname is?"

"Mendinhale, but the spelling and pronunciation was changed when my ancestors who were originally from Europe came to the Americas. Their original surname was Mendenhalle," she said.

Legolas looked surprised at the mention of the name. He shook it off and smiled at the ground. "I see. Well, it sounds like a very prestigious name…Mina Mendinhale."

"Thanks…" she blushed.

"I should let you rest. You have a long day tomorrow with your group. Please enjoy your stay in this room. Only one other person has ever used it. Good night," Legolas bowed, staring at her again before exiting.

"That was…weird," she aloud to herself. She couldn't believe that only one other person has ever used this room if it's been in his family for centuries. But, aside from that, Anastasia was right…he was a handsome man. It was rare to find someone as good looking as him with this kind of wealth, who seemed down to earth and was a kind person.

She finally turned off the living room lights and set her phone alarm. Tomorrow would start their first day in this grand castle that belonged to Legolas Greenleaf. Mina couldn't help but smile to herself at how he was staring at her. Something in his eyes felt familiar. It was strange to think, but she felt safe around him. Outside the window, the moon was high in the sky with the stars dancing around it. Different things swam in her mind and made her anxious…but sleep soon won her over as she dreamed about the sea again...

* * *

**Author's Notes:** All the fun stuff starts in the morning! But, you'll just have to stay tuned to find out what happens.

The quote: "Yesterday is the past, tomorrow is the future, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present," is by Bill Keane so I take no credit for it.

I guess I should also tell you how Mina's last name is pronounced. Mendinhale is pronounced: _Men-din-hayel_ (how it is basically spelled). Mendenhalle is pronounced: _Men-den-hal-ee_.

Okay, now comes the part where you review!


	4. The Medieval Games

**Author's Note:** You guys are awesome! Thanks so much for your reviews. :)

* * *

**CHAPTER 4: The Medieval Games**

"Wake up! Wake up!" Mina jumped on Anastasia's bed.

Anastasia groaned and tried to hide under the covers. "It's too early!" she whined.

"It's 6:20 a.m. You told me to wake you and this is what I'm doing," Mina laughed, having fun jumping up and down on the mattress. She finally jumped down and opened the curtains as wide as they would go. She wanted to blind Anastasia with the sun, forgetting that it hasn't risen yet.

"Ha!" she laughed at her. "Nice try!"

"C'mon, Ana, get your lazy ass up!" Mina rolled her eyes. "If you're not up by six-thirty, I'm leaving without you. I want to pick out a nice outfit before all the good ones are taken."

"Oh, that's right!" Anastasia shot up. She flew out of bed and into the shower. Mina smiled and was thankful that her friend was into dressing up. By the time they got to the main foyer, many of their classmates were already rummaging through the trunks and putting the clothing against their bodies to see what would fit them.

"Look at all these dresses!" one of the girls said as she saw them walking down the stairs.

Anastasia ran ahead of Mina to find something for herself. Mina didn't care so much since she knew all the dresses would most likely look the same, no matter what she picked. "Mina! Look at this one!" her friend smiled. She held out a dress that was ice blue with laces in the front. Most of the dresses were made from soft crushed velvet, similar in styles but in different colors.

"This is a nice one," Mina held out a dress she found. It was a purple flowing gown with embroidered taffeta with laces as well in the front.

"Go try it on!" Anastasia smiled at her selection. When Mina came out of the bathroom, some of the students stopped what they were doing to stare at her. "Wow, Mina…you look gorgeous!"

"Yeah, you look…fantastic…" Vincent stared longingly at her. He was wearing a two-toned suede jerkin over a white dress shirt with wide sleeves.

"Uhh…thanks," she blushed uncomfortably. Some of the girls seemed to be giving her jealous looks. She heard one of the girls whisper that they did a thorough search through both trunks and never saw the dress she was wearing.

"Don't pay attention to them," Anastasia rolled her eyes. "They're just jealous because none of them can fit in it like you." Mina smirked at her comment.

Mr. Wilkins took attendance, his attire similar to the boys with a dark brown suede vest. "According to the itinerary, we're going to have breakfast first outside before we start the games," he said to his students.

"That is correct," Legolas entered the room.

He was dressed in a two-toned suede jerkin except it was worn over a pale silk shirt and dark suede trousers. The upper part of the jerkin was heavily decorated with swirled patterns burned into the suede. He also had knee high boots over his suede pants with wide leather vambraces. He had a bow and quiver on his back as well. The girls just stared at him in awe. Legolas's hair was also styled differently this time. Most of his hair was pulled back off his face with a thick herringbone braid down the back of his head. He also had small lace braids that started at the front of his temples that trickled behind the ears.

"I never knew anyone who could make braids look that attractive," Anastasia whispered to Mina.

"If you will follow me to the back of the castle, I will show you to the patio table," he smiled at everyone.

The group walked right behind him through the hallways, passing by more tapestries and carpeted rooms. The entryway to the outside had two carved statues of knights on either side, dressed in armor they weren't familiar with. They looked more regal and sophisticated than the kind of armor you saw in the movies. There was also a huge green field in front of them with a hill and a forest, and a few games set up in the distance. They ate breakfast on a similar table like before but this time made of simple wood. It was nice to see the sun finally rising as they enjoyed their meal by the outdoor fireplace.

"What's the bow and arrows for?" asked one of the boys named Mason.

"I'll be using it for one of the games later on today," said Legolas.

"Are we all going to shoot arrows?" Mason sounded excited.

"I'm afraid not," he smiled apologetically. "Since none of you are trained to hold a bow _or_ shoot an arrow, I cannot let you handle one due to safety reasons."

"How long have you been shooting arrows?" Anastasia asked.

"For over three thousand centuries," he laughed softly. They all laughed at his joke, which ironically, was the truth. "Let's just say a very long time," he smiled. "If everyone is done eating, we can begin the first game."

The entire group walked across the long field and saw two long wooden lanes set up with wooden bleachers on the side with flags on poles. "This looks like a bowling game?" Vincent said.

"That's because it is," Legolas nodded. "Bowling was very popular in the Middle Ages."

"No way!" some of them said, laughing.

"I know it is very popular in the States but it dates back for many decades, starting here in Europe. It was one of the games that the villagers played during their free time from the harsh daily life of farming."

"So, how are we going to play this?" asked Mr. Wilkins.

"It is similar to the bowling you know how to play. However, your score is based upon which pins are knocked down. Each one is numbered differently. When they are reset into their spaces, it will be up to the opposing team to decide where the high numbered pins go since they are the ones resetting them. The person bowling will have to determine where they have placed it. Whichever team has the highest score in each lane will compete against each other."

Mr. Wilkins broke the students up into four teams of four with one team with an extra player. Two teams were in one lane each. Those who were waiting for their turn sat in the wooden bleachers. Even the pins used were made of hollowed wood. Legolas stood on the side and watched as the teams competed against each other.

"You have ten more minutes before your total scores must be added!" Legolas reminded everyone. The first game had almost reached an hour.

Anastasia gave Mina a high-five after her turn for knocking down one of the highest pins when she went to sit down next to her. "I think we're in the lead!"

"It's hard bowling in these dresses," Mina lifted her skirt a little so that she wasn't stepping on it.

"The noblewomen back then wore bigger dresses than the ones you wear now," Legolas grinned. "They did it flawlessly with ease—some better than the men. Often times, it was the women who won."

"How do you know so much about the past?" Mina asked, curiously. Did he spend his days studying the past?

Legolas seemed amused by her question. "The Greenleaf family has a long history in this area, many of which were documented in books and journals, even oral stories. Sometimes I feel as if the past is all I know," he smiled at her.

"Have you ever thought about relocating into the city and turning this place into a tourist attraction instead?" asked Anastasia. "A lot of foreigners would love to venture here if you market your castle on a website for tours and places to stay. You could add to your wealth with the amount of money people would pay to come here."

"Although I try to stay current with what's going on the world and latest technology, I still carry my family's old traditions in my blood. I take pleasure in seeing people enjoy their stay here, but turning the castle to a tourist attraction just to gain profit would probably make my four-fathers roll in their graves," he laughed softly. "This is also a legacy I would like to pass on to my children one day so I prefer to keep it the way it was left to me by my father."

"Are you…seeing anyone?" Anastasia smiled sheepishly. Mina gave her a look for her to stop being so nosey.

"All right, girls, let's not pry into Sir Greenleaf's personal life. That's not what we're here for," Mr. Wilkins raised an eyebrow at the ginger-haired girl. Anastasia just smiled innocently.

"It's quite all right," Legolas chuckled. "I don't mind a few questions. And, no…I am not currently seeing anyone."

"I think we won!" Andrew threw his hands in the air, his group cheering.

"I'd better go see the group totals," Legolas excused himself.

"He's not only handsome but he's family oriented, too," Anastasia playfully elbowed Mina on the side.

Mina laughed at her words. "And what is _that_ supposed to mean? That, yes, I should now definitely make a move on him?"

"Well, if you won't…I just might," she winked.

"Anastasia, _please_," she sighed, "don't do anything that will put that man in jail or jeopardize us getting deported from this country."

"Do you really think I would do that?" she looked offended.

Mina raised an eyebrow. "You do know that doesn't work on me?"

"Fine, fine!" she rolled her eyes. "I'll behave…jeez."

After one last game with the two winning teams, one that was Mina's, they won the game. They were each given golden medals and tiny silver bowling pins with the words, "2010 MEDIEVAL BOWLING CHAMPION," engraved in them—which were somewhat heavy.

"Congratulations, Mina," Legolas smiled warmly, placing the gold medal around her neck.

"Thank you…" she half-smiled.

"That was a great game, Mina," Vincent quickly interrupted their moment. "I didn't know you were so good at bowling. Maybe when we return home, we could go bowling together…or something."

Mina didn't appreciate the intrusion on their conversation. Legolas could tell he had a crush on her so he just politely smiled and went on to give the next student their medal. "Vincent, that wasn't very nice," she glared at him and walked away.

"What? What did I do?" he asked clueless. He shrugged, adjusting his glasses on his face, and went back to his team with his head down.

"He smiles at you a lot," Anastasia said out of nowhere.

"Who? Vincent?" Mina asked, her focus more on her medal than the conversation.

"No, Mr. Wilkins!" she rolled her eyes.

"What?" Mina gave her a strange look. She was now finally paying attention to the conversation.

"Legolas! Miss Smart Girl," she sighed. "You know, for someone as smart as you, you can be really dense sometimes…"

"Shut up," she made a face at her. "I'm not concerned with what he thinks of me. He's a very attractive man but I'm not trying to have some sort of fling with him within the two days we're here at his castle. How is that even possible?"

"Let's say hypothetically he asks you to return to visit him again…real soon—all expenses paid for the rest of the summer. Would you take his offer?" She looked for signs to see if Mina was slightly interested.

Mina didn't know how to answer her hypothetical question. The thought if it made her blush. A man like him asking a girl like _her_ to stay with him in his castle for the summer? It seemed too unbelievable, even if Anastasia was speaking hypothetically. She didn't even know how old he was and what kind of excuse would she give her friends, especially her parents, as to why she would be returning to England?

"Mina? Hello? Earth to Mina!" Anastasia waved her hand in front of her face. "Are you listening to me?"

"Huh? Oh…yeah," she quietly nodded. "Umm…I'd say…no."

"C'mon, really?"

"I don't know the guy! We don't even know how old he is!" she replied. "I can't think hypothetically like that. I didn't come here to try to seduce or _be _seduced by the man who owns this place…"

"You're really no fun, Mina," she pouted.

"Again, I don't have boys on the mind twenty-four-seven like you do," she shook her head. "I'm surprised you even have enough room in that head of yours to fit anything you learn in class!"

"My brain is very organized, I'll have you know!" she crossed her arms. "My brain has put away my classroom thoughts in a locked cabinet until next semester," she smiled, sticking her tongue out.

"Whatever, Ana…" she laughed softly to herself.

"Are you ready for the next game?" Legolas got everyone's attention.

"Yeah!" they all cheered.

"The next game is called Blind's man bluff, also known as _Hoodman's blind_."

"Aww, that's a kid's game!" someone yelled in the crowd.

"It was highly popular in the Victorian era among everyone, but we're going to play it a little differently," he grinned.

"How?"

"The person who is 'it' will have to try to tag another person in order to take their place, and so on with the next person. Whoever is the last person standing will win."

"So, what's the difference with this version?" asked Vincent.

"Everyone will be blindfolded."

"What?" the students started chatting amongst themselves.

"Each player will have a flag attached to them and the person who is 'it' must take that flag from whoever they are able to get it from. Once you have found a person to replace you and have taken their flag from them, they must sit out for the remainder of the game. To make it more interesting, those who are no longer in the game can help guide the players around…either to safety or towards the person who is 'it'."

"So, it will be up to the remaining players to decide if they want to trust what people are telling them?" asked Mr. Wilkins.

"Correct," Legolas nodded with a smile. "That way, everyone can still participate."

The new rules started to sound more appealing to the students and they grew curious as to how the game would play out. They all wrote their names down on a piece of paper and the first name drawn would be the first person 'it'. After they were given flags to tie around their wastes, the servants set up a huge circled net where they would be playing so that no one wandered off too far.

Everyone was having a good time, running around and bumping into each other. Some of the boys who were running in all sorts of directions kept getting caught in the net, and because the girls were in dresses, some of them kept falling down. It was an amusing sight to see for Legolas and Mr. Wilkins. Those who were out of the game had an even better time with trying to trick the players into losing.

In the end, a boy name Melvin had won the game. Legolas presented him with a small golden feather and a medal for winning. After the game, they took a break for lunch in the patio with big chicken drumsticks, a variety of cheeses, and fruits served on silver metal plates with silver wine glasses full of grape juice to give the illusion that it was wine. For the remainder of the day, the students played other smaller games like chess, checkers, and backgammon, all with a twist in them to keep them interested. By the time they took another break, the sun was slowly beginning to set over the hill where they were playing.

"If everyone will gather 'round, I will explain the last game of the day," Legolas stood on a small boulder by a tree. "This is a game I have made up myself," he smiled.

"What is it?" Mason asked.

"I will shoot arrows into Mirkwood Forest. Each arrow will have a scroll attached to it. Some of the scrolls will be blank, others will have the Greenleaf insignia, and only _one_ will have a picture of the castle on it. Whoever finds that particular scroll will be the winner. I will give smaller prizes to those who bring me back a scroll with my insignia. But, keep in mind that there will only be five of them."

"I have a question," Vincent raised his hand.

"Yes?"

"We don't know a thing about your forest. What if we get lost?"

"That is a very good question. To avoid anyone getting lost or injured, I have servants stationed in various locations throughout the forest who will keep an eye on you. You will know you have gone too far from the designated border for the game once you see a servant wearing a red tunic. Are there any other questions?" They all shook their heads, ready to begin. "To be fair to the ladies, I will give them a head start since they are running in dresses," he smiled at them. The girls cheered while the boys groaned at their small advantage.

Legolas led them to the front of the castle and over the bridge to Mirkwood Forest. The woods looked calm and peaceful in the darkening day. Mina could already see some of the servants stationed around in areas that weren't very thick with trees. She wondered if he had exact places for the scrolls or if he was just going to shoot them randomly into the forest.

"So…how many arrows will you be shooting?" she asked, admiring the design on his quiver.

"Only about twenty-five…but there already twenty-five other arrows positioned in the forest," he smirked.

"What?"

Legolas kept his smile and turned to the rest of the students. "You will only have fifteen minutes inside. Once you hear the whistle you must return quickly. I will only give you five minutes to head back to this spot or, otherwise, you will be disqualified even if you have one of the scrolls needed to win a prize. Is that understood?"

"Yes…" they all nodded.

He took out an arrow with a scroll wrapped around it and shot it into the forest, barely aiming. It whizzed passed them like a fast, sharp whistle, some of the students jumping back at his marksmanship. Legolas smirked a little at their reaction and pulled out more arrows. None of students could see which trees they hit. The servants in the forest also didn't seem to flinch as the arrows shot past them.

"Ladies…" he said, asking them to position themselves. He blew the whistle and off they ran as fast as they could, laughing.

"Gentlemen…" he asked them to do the same thing. On his mark, the boys made a dash for the girls, determined to catch up.

"We really appreciate you doing this for us," Mr. Wilkins said after his students were gone. "They're really enjoying themselves and so am I."

"It's no trouble, really. It's always nice to have guests," Legolas smiled.

"Do you ever throw parties at your castle?"

"Yes, once in a while I loan the castle for galas but it's only a few times a year. Things are usually very quiet and peaceful, so this is actually a treat for us as well."

"I got one!" a boy named Edmond ran back to them with the arrow and the opened scroll in his hand.

"Well, done," Legolas nodded.

The girls and boys were running all over the forest, some trying to run faster than the person next to them. Mina and Anastasia split up to cover more ground. They agreed that if they found more than one of the scrolls with a picture on it, they would give it to the other person. Mina was also trying to turn away from Vincent who seemed to be following her steps. She hid behind one of the bigger trees, Vincent running past her without realizing she was there. After he was gone, Mina ran in the opposite direction. She found a few arrows but they were all blank. Looking around, she was surprised at how all the arrows that were shot had the same height level on the trees. She was very impressed by his skills.

"_Here, Mina…"_

"Who's there?" she looked around the empty area.

"_Over here…"_

"Over where?" she asked puzzled at the voice.

She followed where she thought it was coming from, stepping around the fallen leaves and into a clearing. There was a beautiful oak tree with brownish-golden leaves right in the center. The tree was bigger than it looked from the distance the closer she approached. She stared at it and gently placed her palm on the bark, a tingling sensation suddenly cruising throughout her body. It was none like she had ever felt before. It made her hair stand on ends. Mina took her hand back and stared up at the tree again, smiling. It made her happy for some reason. "Thank you…" she whispered.

Walking around the tree, she saw one of Legolas's arrows. Her eyes lit up as she unfolded the scroll. The whistle blew just in time for her to find it as she ran back to their starting line. Many of the students were already there, some holding their scrolls with the pictures, others disappointed that they weren't lucky enough. "Mina, there you are!" Anastasia rolled her eyes. "Where did you go?"

She hid the arrow on her side and shrugged. "I just ran around…"

"I was afraid you had gotten lost," said Vincent. "After I lost you, I just came back here."

"Well, you shouldn't have been following me in the first place!" she replied, annoyed, and walked to the front of the group.

Legolas retrieved the five scrolls with his insignia and presented the five students with silver tipped arrows with the finest goose feathers on the fletching. "Now, did anyone find the scroll of the castle?" he asked, looking at the crowd. The students searched around as well but no one answered.

"I guess no one found it?" Anastasia shrugged.

"I have it," Mina finally spoke up. Everyone turned to her, surprised when she held up the scroll.

Legolas smiled, looking very pleased. "Well, done…Mina." She walked up to him and handed him the scroll. "That is for you to keep. A remembrance of your stay here," he said. "Your prize for finding the scroll will be presented to you tomorrow night."

"Tomorrow night?"

He smiled again and only slightly nodded his head. "I hope you all enjoyed yourselves today." They clapped and cheered, ready to change back into their normal clothes. "If any of you are hungry, the kitchen staff has prepared some dinner snacks in the kitchen."

Mr. Wilkins and Legolas walked on ahead in their own conversation. Mina walked with Anastasia staring at the picture she won. "I feel like I've seen this castle somewhere before."

Anastasia started laughing. "Well, yeah! We're staying inside it!"

"No…" Mina still kept her serious expression. "This castle looks different somehow."

"What do you mean?" Anastasia examined it. "It looks just like this castle to me…"

"Yeah…I guess you're right," she replied quietly. For a moment, it seemed that she was staring at a totally different castle, although it had some similarities to the Water Castle. "I might just be tired…"

When Mina got back to her room, she decided to skip out on heading to the kitchen since they had such a long day. Anastasia was still full of energy so she joined some of the girls for something to eat. Mina took a nice hot bath and changed into her pajamas. One of the servants who cleaned her room earlier provided her with some tea that she drank on the silver tea set in the living room. She felt a little awkward having tea on such a fancy set up, but enjoyed it nonetheless.

A light knock suddenly came to her door. "Come in," she said. Luckily, she remembered to wear her bathrobe this time after she changed.

"Good evening," Legolas stepped inside, standing in the same spot as he did before. He was in his pale silk shirt, making him look more elegant in the dim light of the living room. Mina stood up, caught off guard by his presence. "I seem to always be intruding in on you," he laughed softly.

"No, not all…it's fine," she blushed, half-smiling. "What can I do for you?"

"I am giving everyone who as a scroll a case you can put in so that it doesn't get wrinkled on your flight back home," he said.

"Oh, thank you…" she took the brown leather case from him.

"I didn't think anyone would find it, but I'm glad it was you," he smiled.

"Why…is that?" she blushed again.

"You'll see tomorrow," he just smiled again.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"That tree the arrow was in…"

"Ah…the oak tree. So you touched it?" he grinned.

She was surprised by his words. "Yeah…"

"The seed of that tree was given to my family many, many decades ago by Lady Galadriel. The leaves on its branches never change color. It was said to have come from a magical forest, called Lothlorien. They say the trees feel the energy of the people who touch them."

"Wait—did you say…Lady Galadriel? This room wasn't hers was it?" she asked.

"No, it wasn't," he smiled. "The Galadrian Chamber was only named after her, as a gift, but she ever stayed here," he looked around the room. "Someone else did…"

"Who?"

"The love of the prince who used to visit with her family," he looked into her eyes. "This room was designed for her. She was the only one who ever slept here."

"Oh…" she frowned.

"What's the matter? Was it something I said?"

"I'm sorry for taking this room. If I had known just how…special it was, I would have been fine bunking with one of the other girls," she replied, feeling awful. Mina felt like she just desecrated this room with her presence, a room that belonged to the prince's princess…whoever she was. The room was more a show piece in this wing and not meant to be slept in.

"Mina…" Legolas smiled at her behavior. "I put you in this room."

"You…what?" she gave him a confused look. She thought that Gandalf had suggested it.

"You deserve this room. If anyone else was to use it, I see no better fit than you," he replied. She just looked at him, not knowing what to say. He took her reaction as a sign to leave. "Good night, Mina Mendinhale. May your dreams be pleasant and your light—"

"Excuse me, Master Legolas," a servant interrupted. "Forgive me, but Sir Gandalf needs you," he bowed.

"Very well," Legolas nodded. "Excuse me," he said to Mina, smiling with his eyes.

She stood there, still speechless, slowly closing the door behind her. Mina leaned against it, her eyes focused on the floor with her thoughts in the past. "May your dreams be pleasant and your light…as bright as the rising dawn…" she whispered.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Hope you liked the games. I researched it a little and added my own twists. The arrow in the forest thing was all me. :)

Stay tuned…and please **REVIEW!**


	5. The Final Game and Celebration

**CHAPTER 5: The Final Game and Celebration**

Mina woke up, dreaming about the sea again. She didn't know what it meant but it was always the same. She was standing at the edge of the shore, staring out into the sunset. In the dream, she felt at peace with the cold water splashing at her bare feet. There was also another person there but she never saw their face. The person was always standing behind her as they talked, and what they talked about she couldn't remember. Every time she tried to think about it, the words became a hazy blur in her mind.

She sighed and walked over to the window, opening the heavy velvet drapes. Down below was a similar shore but covered more with pebbles than sand. It was still early so Mina decided to get ready for the day and venture around the shore by herself for a while. The hallway where the girls slept was still fairly quiet with a few occasional snores that made her smile. In fact, the entire castle still seemed to be sleeping. And many of them were still jetlagged from the trip. For an old castle, as well, she was able to tip-toe around without any squeaky floors giving her away.

Since the only way outside she remembered was towards the patio, she walked through the hallways to the back of the castle. The table they ate at was gone and so were the games that were set up yesterday, along with the bleachers. Mina followed the stone tiled ground to the side of the castle where she finally saw concrete stairs leading down to the beach. It was colder there than she originally thought and didn't have a warm jacket to wear. The clouds above were also darker than they were yesterday.

Hugging her arms to stay warm, she stared out into the sea like she did in her dream with the wind blowing gently at her face. It was nice and soothing, but she couldn't help but feel a bit sad standing there—the kind of sadness you feel when you missed or longed for someone. She frowned at the sea remembering something in her heart that her mind couldn't place. "Are you all right, Mina?" someone asked. She turned around to see Legolas with a shawl in his hands, which he placed around her shoulders.

"Thank you," she said.

"It probably isn't my place to ask, but is anything troubling you? I was down in the wine cellar when I saw you standing here alone, deep in thought and…freezing."

"Oh," she gave a small, embarrassed laugh. "I didn't think it would be this cold out here, but then again, we _are_ surrounded by water…"

"The forecast also says that a storm is coming soon. I only hope that you and your group are able to pass through the roads before then."

"Does it get pretty bad?"

"There have been times when the villagers aren't able to cross into the main town due to the damaged roadways. But, don't let that concern you," he smiled. "I'm sure you'll be fine."

"Can I ask you…another question?" she suddenly said, facing him with curious eyes.

"Anything…"

"Last night before your servant came in, you were saying some sort of goodnight phrase to me. Where did you learn it?"

"Phrase?" he looked puzzled. "I'm sorry, but…are you able to remind me?"

She looked away, not wanting to really repeat the words. "You had said, "May your dreams be pleasant and your light…'" she whispered, her words trailing off.

"Why? Do you know it?" he looked curiously at her, his eyes twinkling.

Mina nodded hesitantly. "As bright as the rising dawn…"

"Interesting," he looked onward at the sea.

"My grandfather used to say that to me every night when I was younger. I've never heard anyone else say that before, not even my dad."

"Well, you did say that your father's family used to hail from Europe. It's a very old saying that your grandfather probably heard when he was a young boy, passed down through his father."

"Yeah…probably," she shrugged. "I kind of feel stupid now for asking," she blushed, laughing at herself.

Legolas shook his head. "Don't feel that way. It wasn't a stupid question. I'm glad you asked it. It makes me happy to know that you have such a rich history within your family. If you have time before your group leaves tomorrow, you're welcome to look at the library. There are many different accounts of well-known families from the Middle Ages. Maybe your family name is buried within one of those books."

"Really?" she smiled.

"Really," he smiled back.

"Thank you…"

"My pleasure."

"You're really…kind," she smiled at the ground since she was too embarrassed to look at him directly. "I was uncertain about this trip but it so happens that my parents are in Europe also so I'm glad I came. I've never been to England before and this will be an experience I know I'll remember for a long time…"

"Funny how certain happenstances surprise us," he slightly grinned, staring at her. They stared at each other for some time, his eyes looking as if he wanted to say something more but he went against it. Instead, he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You should head back inside. Breakfast will be served soon and I know how your professor is with attendance."

"What about you?"

"I will be in shortly. Unfortunately, I won't be joining you as I still need to get the maps for the scavenger hunt prepared. I will meet your group in the main foyer when you are done."

"I see. I guess I'll…see you later then," she half-smiled, slowly walking back to the castle with the shawl still draped around her.

"Good-bye, Mina," he said softly. She turned around to glance at him after she reached the top of the stairs. He was still staring at the sea with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Those you see staring at the sea do not mean that they are there to enjoy the view. It means that the sea has called them to remember, to forget, or to find something within themselves…and sometimes, within their past," she remembered her grandfather telling her as a child. She looked at Legolas and wondered what the sea meant to him.

Growing up, Mina's father was more into focusing on the future and providing a good life for his own family so he never really became involved with his family's history. He knew a few things that he was told when he was younger but his dreams of getting a good education and a career was more on his mind than where his ancestors came from. Because of this, her grandfather passed as many stories as he could to her in hopes to preserve some of their heritage in her.

On the way to the dinning hall, Mina wondered what her life would be like if she grew up in this kind of environment, away from the city. It was a slower change of pace and very simple living, even though the castle was huge with priceless antiques and artifacts. Legolas seemed very humble and wasn't one for big extravagant publicity as most royals you saw on tv. He appeared to be more of a private person, and mysterious at times.

"Mina! Over here!" Anastasia waved to her. Mina sat down and folded the shawl on her lap. "Is that new?"

"Huh? Oh…no," she shook her head. "I'm just borrowing it. It was cold outside."

"So that's why your cheeks are so red," her friend felt them with the back of her hands. "Why were you outside anyway?"

"I woke up early and went for a quick walk by the shore."

"Be careful you don't fall in or the Lochness monster might get you!" she laughed.

Mina rolled her eyes. "That's in Scotland…"

"I was joking!" she shook her arm, still laughing. "Why are you so grumpy this morning?"

"I just couldn't sleep last night," she sighed.

"Yeah, it was locked…we couldn't open it…" Mina suddenly overheard Andrew say to Mason and Vincent a few seats down.

"What was locked?" she asked curiously.

Andrew turned to her, not knowing she was listening. "Edmond and I went around the castle last night after the games, going in and out of different rooms. There's this one room in one of the farther wings with these big doors and weird designs on it. We tried opening it but it was locked."

"That area was creepy," commented Edmond.

"Yeah," Andrew agreed. "The hallway was extra dark. You could barely see anything in front of you. I had to use my lighter to see where we were going. I almost bumped into the wall."

"Well, duh…" Anastasia rolled her eyes. "You were walking around during the night! So, of course, that hallway would be dark. It only makes sense."

"No," Edmond shook his head irritatingly at her. "There were no windows there. Even during the day, that hallway would still look the same."

"No, it wouldn't," she disagreed. "Some sort of light would still be visible during the day."

"Fine, if you don't believe us, let's all go there later and we'll show you," replied Andrew.

"Fine," Anastasia shrugged.

Vincent took off his glasses and cleaned them with his shirt. "What if that's Sir Greenleaf's room?"

"I doubt it! He doesn't seem like a creepy guy who likes dark places like that," Andrew dismissed his idea.

"So, Mina, what do you say? Wanna check out the creepy hallway after breakfast?" asked Anastasia.

"Sure…I guess," she shrugged.

As everyone enjoyed their meals, Mina looked at the other end of the table where Legolas usually sat, only to find it empty. He already told her he wasn't going to be there but she still kind of hoped he would be. She didn't have much of an appetite this morning and was somewhat sad that they were leaving tomorrow.

Mr. Wilkins stood up to get everyone's attention. "Sir Greenleaf will be meeting us in the main foyer in fifteen minutes so anything you need to bring with you for the scavenger hunt, jackets, gloves, snacks—get them now. It's cold outside and it might rain today."

The students scrambled out of their seats and ran for their rooms. "C'mon!" Andrew said. "We have fifteen minutes!" Edmond, Anastasia, Mina, and Vincent followed him, making sure no one else saw where they were heading. Mr. Wilkins was surprised on how quickly the room emptied. He sighed and went to gather his own things.

"Are you sure you know where you're going?" asked Vincent, who felt like they were walking around in circles.

"Yeah! I told you, it's in one of the farther wings!" They passed by many hallways with carpets and tapestries, the way that most of the hallways looked with chandeliers. Each room had big open windows to let the natural light in with curtain drapes, which were rarely closed at night. The farther down they walked, the darker the hallways became.

"You're right…it _is_ darker over here," said Mina, looking around.

"We told you!" Edmond rolled his eyes at his friends for doubting them.

"I can't see anything!" Anastasia grabbed onto Mina's arm.

Andrew finally took out his lighter to guide their way. There were a few tables along the walls with some paintings but nothing else. In front of them was the door the two boys had mentioned during breakfast. The double doors almost reached the ceiling with golden doorknobs and different patterned designs, which Mina noticed was similar to the design on the floor in the foyer.

"This isn't a door design," Mina said. "It's that ancient dialect Sir Greenleaf speaks."

"But why it is all over the door?" asked Andrew.

"I don't know?" she shrugged. "Maybe that's how they labeled their rooms back then?"

"And why is this room locked?" Edmond wanted to know.

Anastasia felt the wordings on the door. "Hmm, I wonder what's inside…"

"Maybe we can pick the lock?" said Andrew.

"Are you crazy?" Vincent spoke up. "We'll get in trouble! Sir Greenleaf said that most of the rooms in this castle aren't locked meaning those that _are_, are off limits!"

"We're just going to take a peek!"

"No, Andrew," Mina shook her head. "We shouldn't. He has been nothing but kind and generous to us and if Mr. Wilkins finds out, we might not graduate! Besides, we need to head back to the main foyer. Our fifteen minutes are almost up." Legolas had a reason for locking the room and Mina didn't want to betray his trust. He's already opened so much of his home to them that they should respect his privacy. Whatever was behind those doors weren't meant for the public to see.

"Fine," he sighed. "But, man, it would be interesting to find out what's behind this door!"

"Let's go!" Anastasia urged. "I'm starting to get chills!"

They made their way back with the rest of the group waiting on them. They smiled sheepishly at the crowd, trying to avoid Mr. Wilkins' questioning stare on their whereabouts. "Now, that everyone is here," Legolas began, "I have maps and clues for each team. This time you can choose your own members. I have placed various items all over the town for you to find. The villagers have been made aware of the game and will help you to a certain extent, but are not allowed to reveal any of their exact locations."

"Why don't we just be a team?" Vincent suggested to them.

The other four agreed since they were practically a team already. Vincent was good at figuring out clues and Andrew was good with navigational directions. Mina and Anastasia agreed because they knew they had a winning chance with the boys' skills. Edmond was friends with Andrew so it was only natural for him to join them.

"And, here you are," Legolas handed the last map of the village town along with the clues to Vincent, which Andrew snatched from him.

"Hey!" Vincent gave him an annoyed look.

Legolas smiled, glancing at Mina. "Good luck, everyone!"

"Please be back here before noon!" Mr. Wilkins shouted over the noise of the students.

Vincent and Edmond huddled over Andrew's shoulders to get a look at the map and clues. Anastasia was getting impatient, trying to drag the boys outside so they can head to the village.

"Look at the clues when we get there!" she said, pushing them out the front door. "C'mon, Mina!"

"I'll be right there!" she said. Once her friends were outside, she walked over to Legolas who was watching the rest of the students assemble their teams. "Umm…I should give this back to you." He turned to her and saw the shawl in her hand. "Thank you for letting me borrow it earlier."

"Keep it for now," he smiled. "It's cold outside and you'll need it."

"Are you…sure?"

"Yes," he placed his warm hands on top of hers.

Mina suddenly blushed at his unexpected touch. "I'll give it right back when we're done," she smiled and left quickly to follow her friends. After the last few students left with Mr. Wilkins, Legolas closed the door behind them. He sighed quietly after turning the doorknob.

"She is quite beautiful."

He turned around and saw Gandalf by the staircase. "Yes, she is…even her scent is the same."

"Yet you know she is not _her_."

"I know," the prince frowned. "From what I've gathered she knows little of her ancestors and how important she is. Eleazar has tried to tell her what he can but she was still too young to understand before he passed."

Gandalf nodded. "He was a favorite of your fathers."

"Eleazar Mendinhale was a good man."

"So, Prince Legolas, what will you do about Lady Willamina leaving tomorrow?" he asked.

"My elven powers have limitations in this world. There's nothing I _can _do but let fate do what it pleases…"

"You could always transport the castle back to Middle-earth. Magic there is stronger than it is here. Perhaps being there will awaken some of the past in her."

"It's too risky with so many people around. Her friends also seem very loyal and I do not want questions to arise."

Gandalf walked closer to him. "You are aware that the dreams have started."

Legolas nodded. "It will be up to her to uncover what she can while she's here. All I can do is wait—just as I have been doing for the last two-thousand years."

"Some of the servants say that they are starting to feel her presence in the castle."

"As do I…"

"Will you guys slow down?" Mina ran faster to catch up with her friends.

Andrew stopped to look at the map. "According to this, there's a barn a few feet from here. That's where we should find one of the items!" he started running. Everyone else followed right behind him.

"There it is!" Vincent exclaimed.

The boys ran inside the barn, digging up the hay.

"I found it!" Edmond held up the small wooden carving of a sword.

"Good job, guys," Anastasia said. "What's the next clue?"

Vincent took the paper from Andrew. "It talks about colors of the rainbow that can be seen at different times of the year. The rainbow we're looking for is trapped in a red box."

"A red box?" Anastasia raised an eyebrow. "How can you trap a rainbow in a box?"

They walked out of the barn, Vincent thinking about the clue and repeating it to himself. "It's a metaphor of some sort. What else looks like a rainbow?" he asked them.

"Flowers!" Mina suddenly yelled out. "Flowers come in all sorts of colors like a rainbow and bloom at different times of the year!" She remembered seeing a garden of beautiful flowers of different colors as she stared out of the bus on their way to the castle.

"You're right!" Edmond smiled. "And the rainbow being trapped in a red box could mean the garden or the pot it's in!"

"That way!" Andrew pointed. "There's a field of flowers in that area!"

The excited group made a dash for the next location. For a good two hours, the students were running all over the village with the people watching them amused. Some of the children wanted to play their game but they were told it was only for the guests of Master Legolas.

"Mary's team beat us with that last item so we only have one more we can try to find before we need to head back to the castle," Vincent told them.

"Let's do it!" Edmond cheered.

After determining the clues, they found out that the item was located at the local pub. "Excuse me, sir," Andrew said to the owner who was wiping down a table.

"Yes, lad? What can I do for you?" he replied.

"Would you happen to have a statue of a beer mug?"

The owner smiled. "As a matter of fact, I do."

"May we see it?" Anastasia asked with a smile.

"Sure thing. It's right over there," he pointed.

"Thank you!" she said and quickly moved to the statue, which had the item they were looking for inside it.

"Oh, miss," the owner said to Mina as she passed. "You dropped this," he handed her back one of the clips in her hair. He finally took a good look at her, shocked, when he saw her face.

"Thank you," she smiled politely until she noticed the way he was staring at her. He looked like he just saw a ghost.

"Ernest, I need you to stack the boxes in the back," his wife came up to him. He blinked back to reality and smiled at the woman. She glanced at Mina and quickly took a second look with the same expression as her husband. "You…you're…"

"It's not polite to stare at the customers, Maggie," he whispered to her. He smiled politely at Mina. "Pardon us," he took his wife by the shoulders and left.

"We found it. Let's go, Mina!" Anastasia patted her on the back. She slowly followed her friends, the whispers of the two owners audible enough for her to hear.

"It _is_ her!" said the woman.

"It isn't," he replied quietly. "Don't you remember what the council told us at the meeting about Master Legolas' guests?"

"Of course, I do…but…"

"Mina?" Vincent stuck his head back inside the pub. "Are you coming?"

"Huh? Oh…yeah," she nodded, following him out. She was quiet for the rest of their walk to the Water Castle. Something about the two owners' behavior made her concerned. They looked at her as if they knew who she was even though she had never seen them before. The longer they stayed this area the more uneasy and weary she felt.

What was it about this place?

"Mina? Mina, snap out of it!" Anastasia snapped her fingers.

"Huh?"

"We won!" she squealed.

After each team's items were collected and counted, Legolas told them that each one had a point value. "Even though you have the most items, it doesn't mean that your team is the winner," he revealed to the groups. Thunder suddenly graced the sky, startling them, most of all, Mina.

"Good thing the game is over," someone said. They looked out the window to see the rain pouring down within a matter of minutes.

"Feels just like home," Andrew rolled his eyes.

"I want everyone to stay indoors for the rest of the day," Mr. Wilkins instructed. The students would have normally complained, but seeing how foul the weather was outside, they were fine with his orders.

"Lunch is served," Gandalf walked in. Everyone happily made their way back to the dinning hall as the morning's activity gave them a good workout.

"You look troubled again," Legolas said to Mina, who drifted behind the crowd.

"Oh, do I?" she tried to play it off with a laugh.

"You don't seem as involved as your classmates lately. Are you no longer enjoying yourself?"

"No…it's not that," she shook her head, not wanting to give him the wrong impression. "I'm having a great time. I just…I have things on my mind, that's all."

"Don't let your troubles get the best of you," he smiled sympathetically. "You can overcome any obstacle with a positive, open outlook with whatever it is you are facing."

"Thanks for saying that," she replied quietly. "It's really nothing. I've just been having these strange dreams…"

"What kind of dreams?"

Mina smiled, not knowing how to tell him without sounding crazy. "Oh, you know…just things about the country. This place must be rubbing off on me," she chuckled.

"I see," he grinned.

"Mina—oh, sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt," Anastasia walked in. When Mina wasn't in the dinning hall with the rest of their friends, she went back to look for her.

"No, it's okay. I was about to head over there," she said to her. "Thanks again," she half-smiled at Legolas. He gave her a simple nod as she left with her friend. He smelled her scent on the shawl she returned, memories of his past flooding back to him. Tomorrow, Mina and her classmates would be leaving his estate and a part of him felt helpless. He wanted to do something but he couldn't force her to stay. It would also be too premature for him to explain anything to her without overwhelming her with his story. Prince Legolas silently prayed to the Valar.

After lunch, most of the students returned to their rooms while others roamed around the castle taking pictures. Even though Mina was against it, Anastasia got Legolas to pose with her before he went off to oversee some business matters. His arm around her shoulder made her feel uncomfortable but she pretended it didn't bother her and smiled for the camera. "Thanks!" Anastasia said to Legolas after he posed with her as well. "This will probably be the best souvenir we have from this trip," she whispered to Mina, smirking.

As the dreary weather went on, Mina and Anastasia retired to their rooms before the commencement of the grand ball that was going to be held in their honor. They were told that guests from around the countryside would also attend so they will get a chance to see other nobles and a few royals at the event. The students' formal attires would also be presented to them before the ball so that they had time to change.

Mina closed the drapes so she didn't have to be reminded of how it was just like Seattle outside. Since her clothes were all over her bed, she decided to fold some of them and hang the rest in the closet. As she was about to put a stack back in her luggage, she came across the book full of her ancestors stories. It was hidden under a pile of shirts, which she had almost forgotten about.

She sat on her bed and went back to the page she had marked. She was reading about her ancestor Elise and her beloved Lance. Most of what she wrote was of them taking walks together along the shore and picnics when it was sunny out. Every day Lance came to visit her, always bringing flowers he picked from his family's garden. According to Elise, it was about thirty minutes to their castle from his estate on his trusted horse.

There were a few days where Elise didn't write anything, sometimes weeks, according to the dates she tried to decipher. Her journal entries had turned from happy, content moments to sad, lonely entries when she would miss Lance. His estate stood in the most prominent part of the country and many feudal lords wanted to take over his land due to its plentiful resources and well-protected area. She worried for his safety and lost countless nights of sleep for fear that his kingdom was going to be overrun.

"Why does this sound familiar?" Mina asked herself aloud. She dismissed the idea that this was the ancestor she was named after since her name was Elise and not Willamina. "Maybe Elise and Willamina were in love with two brothers going through the same things?" she thought on the possibility. But, she had yet to find any entries from Willamina herself.

"Milady?" one of the servants knocked on her door.

"Come in!" Mina hid the book under her pillow and ran to the door.

"Good afternoon," she bowed, carrying a dress bag in her hands.

"Good afternoon…"

"This is for you," she handed it to her. "Master Legolas also asked me to give you this," she handed her a sealed note.

"I thought that we weren't picking out our dresses for another hour or so?" she took it, looking confused.

The servant smiled. "This one was designed especially for you."

Mina took the dress bag and hung it against the full-length mirror standing in the corner of her bedroom. She sat on her bed and opened the note sealed with Legolas' crest.

_Dearest Mina,_

_I hope you enjoy your prize for winning yesterday with finding the scroll of the castle. Please consider this as my gift to you. I know you will look beautiful in it. _

_L.G._

He has such elegant handwriting for a man, she thought with a smile. She put the letter back in the envelope and stood in front of the bag, staring at it, wondering what the dress inside looked like. Mina finally unzipped it all the way and opened it. "Oh, my g… You have got to be kidding me…" she stared speechless at the dress. It was absolutely gorgeous!

The champagne dress was made of satin. It had a sweetheart neckline with a one one-shoulder champagne colored strap designed with roses. The entire broidery and beading were all done by hand and the Cinderella dress opened to an under slip made of tulle fabric with more champagne roses outlining the opening. The mask it came with was crimson with a gold strip down the middle that arched upward with gold designs all around it and beaded work. The feathers attached to one side of the mask were also white and red, the red feathers being the tallest.

The dress was overwhelming to look at and she couldn't imagine what it would feel like actually wearing it. "This thing must have cost a fortune…" Mina sighed. Her one main concern was what if the dress didn't fit? She didn't want such a gorgeous dress going to waste. But, she would find out soon enough.

"Mina! It's me!" she heard Anastasia's voice in the living room. Mina quickly zipped the dress back up and hurried to meet her friend halfway.

"Hey!" Mina sounded flustered.

"Hey…" she gave her a strange look. Are you…okay?"

"Yeah, why?

"Nothing," Anastasia shook her head. "Anyways, the servants are knocking on our doors telling us that we can go pick out our dresses now! I'm surprised they didn't knock on your door?"

"Oh, I'm sure they were going to get to me eventually," she shrugged. She didn't want to explain to her friend that she already had a dress.

"Well, c'mon. Let's see what they have!"

The girls were led to a room, which was actually a huge walk in closest full of different dresses, designs and colors that they could choose from. Every one of them stared in absolute awe at the expensive materials. "Please choose whichever you like. Servants will be assigned to you to help with your dress and hair when are you finished," one of the women said. The dresses here were beautiful but nothing like the dress Legolas presented Mina with. She almost felt guilty for having the dress in her possession since it was beyond extravagant.

"Why aren't you picking out a dress, Mina?" Anastasia asked as she took different dress off the rack to try on. "They're all gorgeous!"

"Yeah…they are," she replied quietly. "But…I already have a dress."

"What do you mean?"

Mina pulled Anastasia to the side and whispered to her. "The prize Legolas gave me for finding that scroll yesterday is a ball gown dress that cost more than my parent's house!"

"What? He _gave_ you a dress?" she exclaimed.

"Shhh! Keep it down!" she hissed. "I don't want people knowing!"

"Well, they will once they see you in it!"

"I know, but I'd rather wait for people to see it when the ball actually starts. I'm overwhelmed by just looking at it," she sighed.

"I wanna see it!" she smiled excitedly.

"No!" Mina shook her head. "You'll have to wait just like everyone else."

"That must be some dress," her friend smirked. "It was awfully nice of Sir Greenleaf to give you such a lovely gift just for finding a picture."

"Don't say that," Mina rolled her eyes. "I'm already uncomfortable having it and now I have to actually wear it."

"You mean you _don't _want to wear it?"

"I do, but…"

"But, what?"

"Having him see me in it makes me nervous."

"Why are you nervous? Just because he's a handsome man, wealthy, generous, has a great smile, and rules this land…doesn't mean you should be nervous wearing a dress he had _designed_ especially for you."

"Very funny, Ana," she glared at her.

Anastasia laughed at her unhappy expression. "Lighten up, Mina! You're thinking too much about it. Just be thankful that you didn't get a prize that will most likely end up at a garage sale."

"Yeah, I suppose…"

"Don't worry about what the other girls think either. You won that dress fair and square." Mina half-smiled at her friend's words. Did she really win the dress fair and square? She was only led to the tree where the arrow was because of the strange voice she heard. If she hadn't, someone else could have found it.

"Ladies, please hurry and choose your dresses," the servant said.

The girls scrambled to get the best dresses they could and ran back to their rooms. "I'll see you tonight!" Anastasia squeezed Mina's arm and headed for her room as well.

"Milady," one of the other servants came up to her, "we will be helping you with your dress and hair."

"Oh, okay…" Mina nodded.

Back in her room, the servants started on her hair first. They curled it and put different beads within the strands. It also took three of them to try to get her into the dress with the corset. Mina didn't realize how complicated it was and was thankful she had their help. The fear of the dress not fitting was finally put to rest after the last button at the top was done. The dress was also surprising lighter than she thought it would be, given the layers of fabric she had on her.

Next, were the shoes. They brought her open strapped shoes that matched the color of the dress that were about three inches tall. Luckily, her feet were accustomed to wearing heels or else she didn't know how long she would survive the night. She only hoped that she didn't trip on the dress, ruin it, and embarrass herself.

"You look marvelous, milady!"

"Thanks," she blushed.

After the servants left, she gave herself one final look in the mirror. She felt like she was staring at her alter-ego. Ever since she was little, Mina always secretly wanted to know what it felt like to be a princess for a day and today was that day. This was every little girl's dream. After applying a little mascara, blush and lip gloss, she inhaled and exhaled deeply before heading over to the dinning hall where they were all supposed to meet.

There was no one in the hallways so she assumed the girls were already there. She now wished she had Anastasia at her side to calm her nerves since she wasn't one for flashy entrances. As she walked down the stairs, she saw one of the girls at the landing. However, she was someone she didn't recognize. The girl's face was in the shadows so Mina couldn't see her very well. "Hi…are you one of Sir Greenleaf's guests?" she asked. The girl just smiled and walked off in another direction.

By the time Mina got to the bottom of the stairs, she wasn't sure if she should follow her to guide to the dinning hall or just go there directly and hope she found her way. She walked a little down the hall where the girl went and found her waiting for her. As soon as Mina saw her, she started to walk away again. "Where is she going?" Mina asked herself as she followed. The girl would stop and walk again whenever Mina got close enough to her, but always kept a distance between them.

The hallway they were in Mina recognized. It was the same hallway that led to the locked door her and her friends were at earlier today. She didn't understand why this girl was heading in that direction. After a while, Mina hesitated walking any further. The hallway was much darker now and she couldn't see very well. "Follow me, Mina," the girl said.

The only thing she could see what the outline of her figure before she disappeared into the darkness. "How did you know my name?"

"Follow me…"

"I can't," Mina shook her head. "I can't see anything…"

"Trust your instincts," the girl said in the shadows.

Mina closed her eyes for a moment and felt around her. She kept walking down the dark hallway until she bumped into something. It was cold and smooth, most likely a statue in the corner. The next thing she felt was a doorknob. She knew it was locked from before but decided to try to open it anyways, and it did. The doorknob turning sent chills down her spine and let go of it.

"Lady Mina?" a voice said behind her. Mina jumped, turning around to a bright light blinding her. It was Gandalf with a flashlight. "What you doing in this part of the castle? Dinner is starting soon."

"Sorry," she apologized. "I was following this girl that came this way and I thought she had gone inside this door."

"Gone inside?" Gandalf gave her a curious look. "Whoever it was couldn't have gone in here. This door is always locked. Even I don't have key to it," he turned the doorknob but it wouldn't budge open. "You see?"

"But I swear that door…never mind," she looked away. "It must be my imagination. She must have left right when you came."

"Your friend is most likely at the dinning hall by now where I suggest you head as well," he said with a polite smile. "Can you find your way back?"

"Yes," she nodded and tried to leave quickly. She was irritated at the mysterious girl for giving her the runaround, only to disappear. And, why would she want her to follow her into that creepy hallway again? Mina shook off the incident and prepared for her entrance. She peered from the side of the door and saw the dinning hall filled will several round tables that sat about ten each, full of sophisticated people she didn't recognize. Trying to sneak in was going to be harder than she thought since her friends were seated closer to the front of the room.

"Mina?"

"Huh?" she jumped. She turned around and saw Legolas.

"Wow…you look…stunning, Mina," he smiled at her.

"Thanks…and so do you," she blushed.

Legolas was in a traditional tunic, similar to the one he had on before but in pale brown with a sash and decorations on him. He even had a small crown on his head, which caught Mina by surprise.

"Would you like to walk in with me?" he asked, grinning.

"Umm…okay," she gulped nervously. She thought it was bad enough trying to sneak in without being noticed and now she was going to make her entrance with the owner of the castle. She prayed that the focus stayed more on him than her.

"Are you ready, Master Legolas?" Gandalf finally arrived. He only smiled at Mina, not saying a word.

"Yes. Will you please introduce us?" he asked.

"No, please don't!" she accidentally blurted without thinking. Legolas and Gandalf gave her a confused look.

"I don't like making a big spectacle of myself and I know your guests are here for _you_, so you really don't have to introduce me. I'd prefer to just sneak to my table once we enter…if you don't mind?" she told Legolas with her head slightly down.

"As you wish," he smiled.

"Thank you," she smiled back, her body relaxing a little. Mina placed her arm around his as they waited for Gandalf's introduction. She felt like they were being announced as the prom's King and Queen.

"You really do look beautiful in that dress," Legolas said to her.

"This dress is amazing! Thank you for going out of your way."

"It was no trouble at all. Seeing you in it is very worth it," he smiled with his eyes.

After she blushed all she heard was, "Prince Legolas Greenleaf!" and was dragged inside on his arm. His posture and stride were perfect as he smiled at the guests. She tried to mimic him with her heart pounding in her chest. Many of the other guests were staring at her with shocked expressions, whispering amongst themselves. Her classmates, as well, couldn't believe their entrance, and most of all her outfit.

"Here you are, milady," Legolas dropped her off at the table with her friends before she even had realized it.

"Thank…you," she half-smiled and sat down. Everyone at her table was frozen with surprise. "Will you guys stop that!" she finally said something.

"Oh, my gosh, Mina!" Anastasia laughed in disbelief. "I can't believe this is you!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Your dress is to _die_ for and you look phenomenal! On top of that, you had a prince on your arm!"

"Oh, yeah…" she said softly, finally remembering Gandalf announcing Legolas as a prince.

"And this whole time, we thought he was only some kind of Knight or a Baron," she shook her head with a smile. "Hey, Mina…are you okay? You're spacing out again."

"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine," she nodded.

Mina was still trying to get over their entrance and the way the guests were looking at her. It was the same expressions the bar owner and his wife had from the village. She also swore that she heard someone say that she looked like someone from the past. After dinner was served, Mina was able to finally relax and enjoy the conversations with her friends. She caught Legolas staring at her from time to time at his table, but she pretended not to notice. Gandalf came back in and announced the party will be relocating to the ballroom. All the guests made their way out of the dinning hall and into the spacious room held for such gatherings.

In the ballroom, there was also a throne sitting against the middle of the wall on a leveled podium, where Legolas was supposed to sit but he never did. Instead, he mingled with everyone and blended into the crowd. The students watched his guests dance to the orchestra's music, some of the boys getting the courage to ask the girls on the dance floor. It was fun to see everyone in their formal attire and masks of different colors and designs.

"Mina…can I have this dance?" Vincent came up to her, his face covered in a black mask with gold designs. She normally would have declined but she decided to take his offer since this was their last night here and everyone was having a good time. She put on her crimson mask and walked with him to the dance floor. To her surprise, Vincent was actually a good dancer and was careful about not stepping on her dress.

"You look beautiful, Mina," he said, staring at her.

"Thanks, Vincent…but can you not do that?" she asked.

"Do what?"

"Stare at me like that," she raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry…" he looked away. "I can't help it. You're gorgeous in that dress. Well, you always look…great, but tonight exceptionally great…so I can't help it."

"Umm, thanks," she laughed softly.

"And, I don't know why you let _him_ stare at you all the time," he grumbled.

"What are you talking about?"

"Sir Greenleaf or Prince Greenleaf…whatever he's called. He's constantly gazing at you."

"No, he's not," she rolled her eyes and happened to look his way. She immediately caught his attention to which he smiled at her. She quickly looked away, clearing her throat.

"Everyone is starting to think that he favors you," Vincent told her.

"What?" she asked surprised. "Why are people thinking that?" Vincent looked away and tried to stay quiet. "You better tell me, Vincent, or I'll never speak to you again," she threatened.

"Aww, c'mon, Mina," he frowned.

"Tell me then!"

"Well, aside from his constant stares," he rolled his eyes, "I've heard you have a nice room away from everyone and he never really talks to any of us except for you. And now with this dress that you have on and you two walking in together…"

"The room I was supposed to have had water damage and that was the only room available in that wing! And, this dress was the prize I won for winning that stupid picture game!" she exclaimed. "This dress could have been worn by any one of the other girls. If one of the boys had won, I'm sure some kind of formal attire for that person would have been given as well. We also just happened to be walking in at the same time so we came in together. I really don't understand what the big deal is?"

"Come down, Mina," Vincent whispered. "You don't' have to explain anything to me. And you're right it's not that big of a deal."

"Well, I don't appreciate what people are thinking," she replied, annoyed.

"If you were one of the other girls, what would you think?"

Mina kept quiet for a while, still irritated. "I guess the same thing…" she finally confessed stubbornly.

"Who cares what other people think? If they could be in your shoes right now, you know they would strip down to their underwear right here and trade with you," he said, which got a laugh out of her.

"I don't think that's something I'd want to see," she smiled.

"Me either, so make sure you don't give anyone your dress," he laughed.

"Thanks," Mina smiled again as the song ended.

"Did you want another dance with me?" he asked, shyly.

"Thanks, but I think I'm going to go outside for some air. I'll be back soon…"

As she left, Vincent asked one of the other girls to dance. It was still raining outside, harder than it was earlier today, but Mina needed to get away from the crowd. She really didn't care what people thought, what Vincent said just caught her off guard. If they wanted Sir Greenleaf's attention so badly, then they could have made the effort to do so. She had nothing to be ashamed about since she hadn't done anything wrong.

The wind made it even colder but she welcomed it. There was a small roof covering the balcony and that's where Mina tried to stay dry. She was also hidden in the dark so no one should have been able to see her. But, someone did. "Mina?"

Mina jumped from being startled. "What are you doing out here?" she asked, turning around to face him.

"I should be asking you the same question. This really isn't a favorable kind of weather for most people."

"I just needed some air," she said quietly.

"You seemed upset earlier. Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she lied. "So…you're really a prince then, aren't you?" she looked at his crown.

"Yes, I am," he smiled, embarrassed. "I don't usually announce my title unless necessary."

"Shouldn't you have body guards or something? In case someone tries to kidnap you for ransom?"

Legolas laughed softly. "That's a nice idea but body guards aren't needed. I can protect myself just fine. The castle also has cameras and an alarm system, which Gandalf takes care of."

"I think your guests are looking for you," Mina looked into the window. The nobles were approaching Gandalf with questions and looking around the room.

"They can wait," he said. "I would rather be out here…with you."

Mina turned to him again, their bodies closer than before. "You make me nervous," she confessed, blushing in the dark. She couldn't help but fidget with her hands as well.

"Don't be," he whispered, steadying them. "Your hands are cold."

"Yeah, sorry about that…"

"No, I find that to be a good thing. It means that I can warm them up for you," he smiled. For being in the cold air, his hands were exceptionally warm. She couldn't explain it, but his touch felt very…loving.

Thunder suddenly sprang in the sky again, which made Mina involuntarily brace against Legolas. She grabbed onto his tunic with her eyes shut. Legolas smiled into her hair, holding her tightly in his arms. "I hate thunder and lighting," she whispered, shaking her head at the sound. "Ever since I was a kid..."

She started to loosen her grip after a few minutes, Legolas slowly releasing her but still holding her in his arms. "There is nothing to be afraid of," he caressed her cheeks. "I'm surprised thunder still scares you," he smiled. "As soon as it starts to rain, you would always try to run and hide somewhere."

"How…did you know that?" she looked at him, puzzled.

"It's not that hard to figure out," he tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

She looked down at his chest, tracing the pattern on his tunic with her fingers. "You would always tell me that the gods above were jealous of us for always having so much fun," she laughed softly, until she realized what she had just said. Mina backed away slowly.

"Mina…" Legolas tried to make her come back to him.

"Why did I just say that?" she looked around the balcony as if it would give her the answer.

"They're memories…" he whispered.

"Of what?" she looked questioningly into his eyes.

"Mina…_amin hiraetha_," he frowned.

Something suddenly overcame her and slowly approached him. She cupped his cheeks, searching deep into his blue eyes that were sparkling in the cold, rainy night. "_Nae saian luume'_," she whispered in a language she didn't know she knew how to speak.

Out of impulse, Legolas kissed her. "_Amin mela lle_…" he said into her mouth. Mina couldn't help but return the kiss, a kiss her entire body had longed for. Legolas held her tightly again, lifting her on her tip-toes, with her arms draped around his neck.

"I've missed you, my love…" she whispered. The sudden thunder in the sky broke whatever trance Mina was in and ended up pulling away from Legolas. "What am I saying?" she blinked.

"Mina…" Legolas looked concerned at her reaction.

"I need to go!" she ran off.

"Mina, wait!" he called out.

"Don't follow me!" she yelled back…and ran into the dreadful night.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Longest chapter so far! Hope you enjoyed it.

_Amin hiraetha = I'm sorry_

_Nae saian luume' = It has been too long_

_Amin mela lle = I love you_

Please review!


	6. Happenstances

**CHAPTER 6: Happenstances**

Mina woke up with a headache as it continued to pour outside. There wasn't much of last night that she remembered after her dance with Vincent. Kissing Legolas, however, she _did_ remember. She mentally kicked herself in the head for doing so and was embarrassed to face him again. Anastasia had seen Mina running in the hallway after her escape and ended up crying on her shoulder. She was frantically talking about the storm and had mentioned the lip-locking experience with the prince. She made her friend swear that she wouldn't tell anyone of the incident or even try to attempt to bring it up around their friends. Anastasia, seeing how distraught she was, agreed.

She finally got out of bed and saw the dress lying on the floor. After Anastasia helped her out of it, she left it carelessly where it fell and went to bed in her undergarments. It was a priceless dress, but she couldn't bring herself to touch it again so soon, so she stepped over it to get to the bathroom. The group was also due to leave in a couple of hours so she skipped breakfast and packed her belongings instead. She didn't want to see or talk to anyone. In addition to everything, her muscles felt tense again, which didn't help with her mood.

"Mina?"

"Yeah…?"

"I'm coming in," Anastasia said. She walked into her bedroom and sat on the bed. "How are you feeling this morning?"

"Like I was running and ran into a brick wall," she answered sarcastically.

"Everyone was asking about you during breakfast, but I told them you weren't feeling well and that I would just bring you something to eat," she placed a few breakfast items on the table.

"Thanks…"

"He didn't show up either in case you were wondering…" Anastasia added quietly.

Mina shrugged. "I wasn't," she said and continued packing.

"Mina, why is your dress still on the floor?" she picked it up and placed it back inside its bag. "You shouldn't leave this lying around like that."

"Do you want it…because you can have it."

"Stop talking crazy," she rolled her eyes. Anastasia sat on the floor where Mina was and sighed at her friend. She looked lost in her own thoughts as if she wasn't even there. "Hey, you really need to snap out of this funk you're in. I'm starting to worry about you."

"I'm fine," Mina answered, shaking her head at her words.

"Mina," she placed a gentle hand on her wrist, "no you're not," she replied softly. "You always try to shut people out whenever something is bothering you."

Mina finally stopped what she was doing and frowned even more, looking hard at her friend. "Do you really want to know what's wrong me?" her eyes started welling in frustration. "I feel such heartbreaking pain in my heart and I don't know why! I feel like I just lost someone close to me…" she wiped her tears away in anger.

"Mina, sweetie…" Anastasia tried to comfort her. "What really happened last night?"

"That's the thing! I don't know? I just remember being in his arms when I heard the thunder and then the next thing I knew, I was kissing him. It was such a strange sensation. Ugh…I feel so stupid!"

"You have no reason to feel stupid. He kissed you back, didn't he?"

"Yeah, but…"

"But, nothing! He could have easily stopped it, but he didn't, so obviously he was also interested in you," she pointed out.

"I never said I was interested in him," Mina raised an eyebrow.

"Well, does it really matter now? We're leaving here soon…"

"Yeah, and I can't wait!" she sighed. "Ever since I stepped foot in this castle, something about it just kept bothering me and I always felt uneasy about things."

"It's an old castle, what do you expect?" her friend shrugged.

"I just want to get out of here, go to London with our friends, meet up with my parents in Paris, and then head back home to the small confines of my dorm room."

"I guess it was nice while it lasted," Anastasia stood up. "I gotta finish packing, too. Do you want head down together?"

"I'd like some time to myself so I'll just meet you downstairs."

"Okay…" Anastasia gave her a hug before leaving her room.

Mina appreciated her efforts but it didn't do much to cheer her up. After today, she knew she would never see Legolas again and felt torn with leaving things as they were. But, she didn't want to address the unexplainable connection they shared since she didn't even know why she acted that way. He was also much older than she was, even though his age remained a mystery.

She felt angry with him and with herself but she couldn't figure out why. Kissing him also felt like the least of her worries.

By the time Mina stepped out of her room, the girls in the hallway were getting ready to leave as well. The Grey Hound bus was already pulling up through the gate. She lugged her luggage with the crowd and waited in the foyer with her classmates while Mr. Wilkins took attendance. Mina tried to hide in the crowd as best as she could so that Legolas couldn't spot her so easily.

The prince finally came out of a side door and greeted Mr. Wilkins. "Thank you so much for your hospitality," the professor shook his hand. "This was an amazing experience, much more than any of us ever thought we would get a taste of. I look forward to visiting your wonderful castle again next summer if the school allows this trip for a second run."

"Please do not hesitate to contact me," Legolas smiled. "My castle is always open to you and your students."

Mr. Wilkins thanked him again and told the students to prepare for the weather outside. The rain wasn't going to cooperate with them so they had to hurry through the muddy roads if they wanted to make it into the city without getting into some sort of accident. Her friends started to leave and as she was about to follow, her luggage handle wouldn't open. The group began to get smaller as they walked outside, Mina still trying to pull on the stubborn handle.

"Here, let me," Legolas barely put any effort into it and got it pop up easily.

"Umm…thanks," she said without looking at him, quickly making her way to the door.

"Mina…"

Mina spun around and looked him dead in the eyes. "There's nothing for us to talk about."

"Yes, there is!" his voice sounded as if he was pleading with her.

She finally stopped walking and sighed, her back still facing him. "I don't know what happened last night and I'm sorry for what I did. You'll forget about me, anyway…after I'm gone," she frowned to herself, knowing deep down that she didn't want to be forgotten.

"I could never forget about you, Mina…" he said softly to her.

Mina turned around again and saw sadness in his eyes. It was almost a reflection of what she was feeling inside. Parting with him felt so painful to do. And, although she's only known him for two days, in her heart she felt as if she had known him for an eternity—a feeling that she had just now realized.

"I have to go…" she whispered and walked out the door.

Outside, she was hit by a gust of wind and rain. The students were all huddled by the front of the bus, waiting to take turns putting their luggage in the bus compartments. Mr. Wilkins crossed Mina's name off his list after he saw her step out of the front door. He took a second attendance to make sure no one was left behind.

"Now that everyone is here, please hurry with your belongings and find a seat on the bus!" he shouted over the wind.

Mina was standing behind Anastasia who was waiting on Vincent to put his things away. "Hurry up, Vincent! It's freezing out here!" she shivered.

"Sorry!"

The two friends stood close together to try to keep each other warm. Mina saw Legolas's reflection in the misty window and frowned again. She told him that this was an experience she wasn't going to forget and not knowing it at the time, her words would hold true to their meaning.

As she looked away from Legolas, something on the side of the castle caught her eye. It was the girl she saw in the hallway last night. She was standing too far to be seen clearly in the rain, but Mina knew it was her. The girl was in a casual dress with her hair in tangles from getting drenched. She disappeared around the castle corner. Mina let go of her luggage and followed the girl. She knew that area to lead to the beach side of the castle and ran on impulse, needing to speak to her.

"Mina! Where are you going?!" Anastasia called out. "The bus is leaving in a few minutes!"

After she saw Mina disappear around the same corner, Anastasia couldn't decide whether to stay put or follow after her. Since Mr. Wilkins was already on the bus, busy talking to the bus driver, she made a dash for her friend without him seeing. Vincent noticed both Mina and Anastasia running off and chose to find out what they were up to. Mr. Wilkins sat down thinking all of his students were on the bus.

The bus driver did a final sweep of the outside and didn't see the three missing. He did, however, notice their luggage still sitting on the side. Not thinking anything out of the ordinary, he placed them inside the bus compartment himself. "Are we all set?" he asked the professor after getting back on the bus.

"Yes, sir," Mr. Wilkins nodded with a smile, looking back at the students. The bus driver started the engine and left the Water Castle without them.

Mina followed the girl down to the beach, shielding her eyes from the drizzling rain. She was soaking wet, cold, and her fingers were numb but she didn't care. She wanted to know who this girl was, a mystery she wanted to solve. The girl strolled casually on the beach, her hair blowing fiercely in the wind as she walked barefoot towards the water.

She ran faster to catch up. "Hey!" Mina yelled, but her words were muffled by the violent sounds of the water. "Wait a second!" The girl slightly turned her head, smiling at Mina, and continued to walk into the water. "What are you doing?" The girl was waist deep in the sea by the time Mina got to edge of the shore. She disappeared into the waves that rocked her body up and down. "You're going to drown!" Mina tried to warn her. She frantically took off her shoes and ran into the freezing water to save her.

"Mina! What are you doing?! Are you crazy!" Anastasia saw her get into the water and ran down the steps as fast as she could. But, Mina couldn't hear her as she was still too far away.

"What is she doing?" Vincent asked Anastasia when he finally caught up to her.

"Something really, really stupid!" she answered, fearing for her friend's life. "We need to hurry! Can you swim?"

"Yeah, but I'm not a strong swimmer."

"Then go get help!" she started to take off her shoes as well. Vincent ran back to the castle to find Legolas.

Mina swam through the currents to get to the girl. All she could see now was the top of her head. She needed to get to her soon or they would both be swallowed by the sea. Mina's muscles started to spasm from the cold water and soon her body stopped working. Her arms and legs suddenly began to weaken. Her head went under, her lungs taking in water. She mentally tried to tell her herself not to give up, but her words didn't reach her body. She could no longer keep herself above the water and finally stopped struggling against the waves. Her body was jerked to the surface and the last thing she remembered, someone was calling her name, but they sounded so far away, like a dream. Her head also felt heavy and groggy as she tried to open her eyes. Something warm was shining on her eyelids and her whole body was tingling.

"Where…where am I?" she struggled to say. There was a sore lump in her throat and her lips were dry.

"Shhh, Mina. Just rest," she felt someone caressing her hair.

"Is she going to be okay?"

"I hope so…" Vincent sat down by the fireplace with the blanket Legolas gave him still wrapped around his form. He was glad Mina was alive. Her skin was so pale and blue by the time they got her out of the water that he didn't think she'd make it.

"Here are some hot cocoa for you," one of the servants entered the living room and placed the tray on the table.

"Thanks," they both said.

"I'm afraid it will be another day or so until a doctor can come and see her," Legolas walked in with a towel on his head. "The roads aren't safe due to the storm."

"She looks better at least," Anastasia half-smiled, still caressing her hair. "Thank you for saving her. If it wasn't for you…" she started to get choked up.

"Don't think on it," he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "What matters is that she's safe—that you _all_ are safe."

"What possessed her to do that anyway?" Vincent asked, still staring at the fire. He looked distraught with his thoughts of the incident.

Anastasia shrugged. "She looked like she was after someone but I didn't see anyone around…"

Legolas furrowed his eyebrows at what she said. "Are you sure?"

"Well, that's what it seemed like, but I can't be sure."

"Master Legolas, their rooms are ready," the same servant walked back in.

He nodded and faced Anastasia and Vincent. "I've prepared some rooms for you to stay in while I try to contact your professor. Greta will show you the way. It's best that you take a warm shower and rest to avoid getting sick. I'll keep an eye on Mina. Her room will be right next door to yours if you want to visit her later."

"C'mon, Ana…" Vincent tried to get her to follow him.

"I don't think we should leave her," she looked worried at Mina's sleeping figure.

"I don't want to leave her either, but we'll be of no use to her if we're sick. Sir Greenleaf will be here to watch her and…I trust him," he said quietly.

"Please let us know if her condition changes," she said to Legolas.

"You have my word."

The two exited the room with Greta, taking one last look at their friend before leaving her in the care of the castle's owner. Legolas sat across from her, adjusting the blanket that he bundled around her body. He put elven herbs on her chest and back to help speed up her recovery, but Mina took in a lot of water so it would take some time before she felt the effects of the medicine.

When Vincent told Legolas that Mina had jumped into the water, he panicked. He would have done anything to make sure she survived, even if it cost him his own life. But, lucky for him, he was immortal. He knew Vincent was still questioning how he had fled outside before he even had a chance to blink. Legolas forgot that humans moved slower than they did and hoped

Vincent wouldn't question him about it.

"Why did you do it, Mina?" he murmured, caressing her red cheeks. The Valar answered his prayers but not the way he wished it. Not if it meant costing Mina her life. "I can't lose you again…" he whispered. "You mean more to me than life itself."

"Legolas…" she tried her best to call him. Mina was struggling with her breathing and still couldn't open her eyes. He put a damp cloth on her forehead to bring down her fever.

"I'm right here," he replied softy. "I won't leave your side."

"I need…I need you," she tossed in her sleep. "I don't want to be apart…anymore…"

"Rest, dear Mina," he hushed. "Save your strength."

Gandalf walked in to check on them. "How is she doing?"

"Still struggling," he sighed. "I only hope I gave her the medicine in time."

"She is very strong-willed. I have no doubt that she will pull through."

"Why Gandalf? Why did she go into the water?" he asked, baffled by her actions. "She could have…died." It pained him to think about it.

Gandalf sighed. "Only she knows the answer to that, my young prince. Do you think…" he thought for a moment.

"Think what?"

"That perhaps…she saw _her_ walk into the water?"

"The thought has entered my mind," he sighed heavily. "But why did she follow her? I highly doubt she was trying to kill her. It's not in her nature be so aggressive."

"Lady Mina has a very curious personality. I found her in the far eastern wing last night. She had mentioned a girl she was following who seemed to have disappeared as soon as I approached."

"She was by the gallery?" he asked concerned. Legolas stood up and stared at the fire, the flames dancing in his eyes.

"Apparently, the door opened for her," Gandalf added.

"It's too soon!" he said with frustration in his voice. "She shouldn't be venturing in that part of the castle."

"Apparently, _she_ has other plans for the young lady."

"But, what are they?" Legolas looked up at the ceiling, wondering what was going to happen next to Mina.

Mina's body felt light as a feather as she dreamed of running in a field of flowers, playing a game of chase with a man. She laughed wholeheartedly, running away from him. He threatened that he was going to capture her if she didn't run any faster, so she picked up her pace. At the end of the field was the beach. She was always by the water. The warm sand felt good in between her toes as she ran back to their picnic. He gently crashed into her, rolling her around on the blanket.

"You always cheat," she said, giggling in his chest.

"No, never. You just run too slowly," he laughed into her hair, kissing the back of her ear.

"I miss moments like this…" Mina said in her sleep, and somehow the words started to wake her. Her body wasn't tingling anymore and everything seemed dark as she stirred around. Slowly opening her eyes, she found herself in a bed inside a dark room. There was one candlestick on a table that was lit and no other lights. She could also still hear the rain pounding like drums outside the window.

"You're awake," said Legolas.

Mina gasped at his voice, unaware that he was sitting in a chair in the shadows. "You scared me!" she sighed at him. "What am I doing here? Where is everyone?"

"You mean you don't remember?"

"Remember what? The last thing I remember I was standing by the bus and—oh, my God! Don't tell me I missed it?" She practically leaped off the mattress. Her legs were still weak and couldn't hold her weight and fell on Legolas, who was quick to catch her, before she collided with the floor.

"There's no need to panic, Mina," he sat her gently back on the bed. "You still need to rest and regain your strength."

"What the hell is going on?" she asked confused and frustrated. "What am I still doing here?"

Legolas frowned, sitting next to her. "You ran into the water and almost drowned. Your friends, Anastasia and Vincent, followed you and if it wasn't for their quick thinking, we might not have been able to save you. I was lucky enough to pull you out in time…"

"What?" she said quietly. "That's impossible. Why would I do something like that?" she shook her head in disbelief.

"We don't know. Your friends think you saw someone in the water and tried to save them, putting your own life at risk."

She tried to think back and only remembered flashes of her running to the beach and the cold water hitting her like a thousand needles. "I remember the water…but not much else."

"The doctor will be here as soon as he can to examine you to make sure that you're really okay," he looked at her.

"So…I really did miss the bus, didn't I?" she frowned at her misfortune.

"Yes, but Anastasia and Vincent are here as well—in the rooms next door to you. I contacted Mr. Wilkins and explained that you had forgotten something in your room and your friends decided to follow you so that you wouldn't miss the bus. But…you did."

"What did Mr. Wilkins say? Did he flip out?"

Legolas smiled a little. "He was quite shocked and upset with himself that he didn't notice that the three of you weren't on the bus after he took attendance. But, I assured him that I would take care of you and have you back with your classmates before your group leaves for home. He will contact your parents directly."

"Why didn't you tell him the truth?" she asked curiously.

"Well, I suppose I should have, but I didn't want to alarm your professor or your families. I also feel somewhat responsible since I failed to see your group off properly before the bus had left. If I had, you wouldn't be in this…predicament."

"You shouldn't blame yourself," she quietly laughed at her carelessness. "This entire thing is my fault and I really don't know how to explain what I did. I'm sorry that you guys had to get involved. Your own lives could have been in danger."

"The most important thing is that you're safe," he smiled warmly at her.

"Thank you also for saving me," she smiled back. The way he was looking at her reminded her of the kiss they shared, suddenly turning things uncomfortable for her. "So, umm…what time are we leaving tomorrow?" She averted her eyes away.

"Unfortunately, leaving tomorrow won't be a possibility for the three of you," he sighed.

"Huh? What do you mean? Why not? You're not trying to keep us hostage…are you?" Wild thoughts raced through her mind.

Legolas laughed at her assumptions. "The storm hasn't passed yet and when the weather is like this, as I mentioned to you before, the roadways aren't safe to be on," he explained. "Travelers have been known to get stranded because of the muddy roads in this part of the country. Your bus was luckily enough to leave before things got worse."

"Great," she breathed. "How long will it be before the roads are safe?"

"Well, if it continues to rain, it not might be for a few more days until the land dries. Even then, the damages will need to be assessed to see if anyone can pass through."

"Being stranded like this must drive you and the villagers mad!"

"No, not really. If you're used to living in a place like this, not being able to leave isn't such a big concern. The villagers rarely enter town because of the distance. As you have probably noticed, there aren't many any vehicles here. The village itself only owns one that is currently under repair. Everyone mostly gets around by horse and carriage. The only time anyone leaves is to sell their goods at the market or trade for new materials to use."

"Wow…the villagers are true to the lifestyle that people used to live back then, aren't they?"

"Yes, for the most part. There are a few technological devices they use, but the people who choose to live here are content with the simplicity of the country," he smiled.

"That probably goes for you, too, doesn't it?" she grinned.

"I am by no means a city person. There are many great things to see, taste, and experience, but the fast life isn't really for me. I am more in tune with nature than with tall buildings and traffic," he smirked. "It becomes a big spectacle whenever people see me out in London, so I try to keep a low profile."

"You're very private, aren't you?"

"I am," he nodded. "I don't like my private life under a microscope. It's harder when you're of royal blood since everyone wants to know how your wealth is doing, what you're spending it on, who you are mingling with, and who will potentially be sitting with you on the throne."

"I'm surprised no one bothers you here?"

"The nice thing about this castle is that there is only one entrance the paparazzi can enter through and that's the front gate. But, even then, they'll have to walk across the bridge, which they cannot do because that would be _called_ trespassing," he grinned widely. "Gandalf has set up alarms and lights all around the main entrance to avoid such things."

"Have any of them ever tried?" she laughed, intrigued.

"Plenty of times, and each time, they usually set off the alarm. There have also been a few who have tried to take a boat here and dock on the shore, but again, that is also considered trespassing," he smiled again.

"The Water Castle…" Mina said to herself. "Must be nice to be so secluded."

"Sometimes. But, I do have to admit, it gets lonely in a castle this big…"

"Why aren't you with anyone?" she bluntly asked, which surprised him.

"I have yet to find someone to capture my heart again," he replied softy, giving Mina a small, crooked grin.

She blushed at his answer and cleared her throat. "What happened…to her? If you don't mind my asking—I don't mean to pry."

Legolas looked onward with his thoughts in the past again. He half-smiled at Mina before replying. "I suppose it was all about timing. We loved each other very much, but…it seems that we weren't meant to be together at that point in our lives."

"Do you still keep in touch?"

"I try to visit her when I can," he looked saddened. "She passed away a few years ago. I put fresh flowers on her grave at least once a year."

Mina felt terrible for bringing her up. "I'm so sorry…I didn't mean to…"

"No, it's quite all right," the prince assured her with a smile. "Forgive me for appearing so...glum. It's just been a long time since I've talked about my personal life with anyone. Her death happened some time ago and I've dealt with it."

"I'm sure you'll find someone again that makes you feel just like she did," Mina smiled understandingly. It was an awkward thing to say after their encounter at the ball but she felt like he needed to hear it. She also felt it was inappropriate to ask how she passed away so stopped with her questions.

"And what about you, Lady Mina?" he tried to hide his smile. "Vincent seems to fancy you quite a bit."

"Vincent…" Mina rolled her eyes. "I have no interest in that guy. His persistent personality can get irritating. But…he _can_ be a good friend when he wants to be."

"He seems like a nice boy?"

"He is, but there is nothing about him that attracts me to him. I don't feel any type of…."

"Connection with him?" he finished.

"Yeah…" she blushed.

"Well, I'm sure your own perfect mate is out there somewhere."

Mina swore she saw his eyes sparkle in the dark. She found herself overwhelmed by the way he looked at her at times. It made her forget what she was trying to say, his eyes usually telling her a different story than his mouth. His thin, soft lips were curved into a small grin as she watched him, the room silent, with only the rain and the wind howling outside. There was passion bubbling inside of her she couldn't control the longer she stared at him. She clenched the duvet and finally looked away. "I'm still tired and I'd like to rest…"

"Of course," Legolas slowly stood. "Please let me know if you need anything. I had one of the cooks prepare something for you to eat. You should eat to help get your strength up."

"I will…thanks."

Before the prince walked out the door, he stopped halfway and turned around as if something had been bothering him. "Mina…I'm sorry for everything. I don't want you to feel troubled with staying here under these conditions. I will do my best to make the next few days here with your friends as comfortable as possible."

She smiled at his sincerity. "If anything, we're the ones who should be saying sorry for being such an inconvenience to you."

"To be honest…I'm sort of glad that you're still here," he laughed quietly. "I will see you tomorrow. I hope you feel better in the morning." Legolas slightly bowed and left.

Mina slumped back down on the bed after the door closed behind him and secretly smiled. The room she was in was smaller with no living room. It still looked very fancy and cozy, and the size was also much more to her liking. She still couldn't believe how blindly she went into the water like a crazy person. If she hadn't taken swimming lessons and competed in swim meets when she was younger, she doubted she would have lasted long in the harsh, cold body of water.

Thinking about her parents, she knew they weren't worried she missed the bus. It wasn't like they knew she had almost drowned. If they did, the whole England police department would be knocking on Legolas's door. Since her cell phone was in her luggage, she would have to use a phone in the castle to let them know she was fine. Mina made a mental note to ask where one was located in the morning. And at least two of her friends were here with her to ease the loneliness she felt inside the castle.

"Funny how certain happenstances surprise us…" she repeated Legolas's words and closed her eyes.

* * *

**Author's Note: **I can't have one of my main characters disappearing so soon! ;) Let's see what other things await Mina and her friends inside the Water Castle. Stay tuned!

**Please review!**


	7. My Darling Beloved

**CHAPTER 7: My Darling Beloved**

_A-choo!_ "Ugh…I hate this…"

"Here," Anastasia handed Mina a kleenex. "Just keep the whole pack. You need it more than I do."

Mina woke up sneezing after being exposed to the cold weather yesterday. She no longer had a fever but her nose was feeling stuffy. One of the servants made her some sort of home remedy soup that was supposed to help her but it didn't taste very good so she didn't finish it. It was too bland for her taste. She gave the rest to Vincent who actually enjoyed it. The three of them were in one of the living rooms with nothing to do.

"As much as I like this place, I kind of wish we were at the museum right now…" Vincent sighed. He looked out the long rectangular window and saw speckles of mist against it. The sky was still dark and gloomy.

"Well, at least it's not as bad today as it was yesterday," Anastasia replied, getting up from her sitting position. She started pacing around the room to keep herself from falling asleep. "But you're right. There's absolutely nothing to do here…"

"Let's go to that pub we saw the other day," Vincent suggested.

Mina shook her head. "We have no money. Our luggage was on the bus, remember?" Since they had no belongings except for the clothes on their back, Legolas let them borrow some of the medieval clothing he had in storage.

Gandalf suddenly walked into the room as if on cue. "I can assist with that. Master Legolas understands you are not accustomed to this kind of lifestyle in the country, especially being cooped up in this kind of environment." He handed a few pounds to Anastasia who was the closest to him. "Please go enjoy yourselves in the village. It's not as bad as it seems outside, but I do recommend a jacket."

"We can't take this," Anastasia shook her head, trying to give it back to him. "This is way too much!" Gandalf handed her more money than all the students had combined that were on the trip.

Gandalf just smiled. "It's for the three of you, courtesy of Master Legolas. Please take it and spend it as you please. You may also keep whatever you do not spend."

"Where _is_ Sir Greenleaf? We haven't seen him all afternoon," said Mina.

"He's currently overseeing a few things and should be free later this evening. He asked that I take care of any needs you may have until then."

"A working phone would be nice," Vincent shook the dead cell phone in his hand. "Do you guys have a computer with internet capabilities here?"

"We have a landline but I'm afraid the reception might not be very good due to the weather. There is also a small study room with a computer on the other side of this hallway but the internet might be down as well."

"Great," he sighed again. "I guess off to the pub it is," he stood up.

"Please let me know if you need my services when you return," he bowed then left.

"Let's go, Mina," Anastasia motioned with her hand. "We still need to get our jackets."

"Isn't it kind of early to be drinking?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Not at all," Vincent answered. "It's almost two o'clock. Besides, people back then used to drink all day, every day!"

"Would you rather stay here in this _boring_ castle or try something fun in the only town for miles around?" Her best friend placed her hands on her hips.

"Fine, fine…" Mina lazily pushed herself off the couch.

The weather outside was more of a light mist than actual rain as they walked to the village. The three students blended in with the locals with the similar attire they were wearing. There were also many people still outside doing their work or hanging out under wooden shelters, mingling and smoking their pipes. Even the children were running around and giggling while playing their games. A few of the villagers stared at them as they passed by, but they just politely smiled and went on their way.

Vincent wiped his feet by the entrance of the pub and shook his hair dry with his hands. Mina and Anastasia did the same thing and hung their jackets. "Hi, there. We'd like a table, please," he said to the owner.

The owner looked surprised to see Mina again, but quickly replaced the expression with a happy greeting. "Please, sit wherever you like," he motioned to a table. "I will get you some menus."

"Thanks."

Mina was hesitant to return after the strange encounter she had with the owner and his wife when they came here the first time. She let her friends order their food and a pitcher of beer. The owner didn't bother checking their IDs, which made Anastasia smile, even thought they were all of legal age. She hated being carded and thought it was a waste of time.

The owner's wife smiled at them as she placed their food on the table. She looked at Mina but didn't give her the strange look as before. Her expression was of a friendly woman serving her customers. "Anything else I can get for you dearies?" she asked.

"Just more napkins, please!" Anastasia smiled back. The woman handed it to her and left for the kitchen.

"They seem like a nice couple," Vincent said as he bit into his corn. "Wow! This is really good!"

"Mmm…so are these mashed potatoes! Mina, you have to try this!" Anastasia put some on her plate. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Huh?" she looked up. "Nothing…" Mina hadn't realized that she appeared a million miles away.

"Are you okay?" Anastasia started to look concerned.

"You're not feeling sick again are you?" Vincent placed the back of his hand on her forehead.

Mina rolled her eyes and lightly slapped his hand away. "I'm fine!"

"Maybe it's too soon for you to be outside again?" said Anastasia.

"You guys! I'm fine!" she tried to tell them. "I just have this stupid cold, that's it. Can we just enjoy our food and _drink_?"

"Now you're talking!" The ginger-haired girl took her mug and poured beer in it.

The three of them clinked their mugs and continued to eat their food, talking about their experiences at the Water Castle. They mused over being one of the few people who could actually say they were staying in a castle by the water. The lifestyle here was very different from the city and the way they lived in Seattle. The people lived simple lives and only worked for the essentials needed to sustain themselves. The villagers were comfortable in their surrounding and everyone was very kind and hospitable.

The small pub started to fill up with more customers and was soon full of loud conversations and singing. The older men were the loudest and the drunkest. They never knew such a place could hold so much fun with the most unlikely of people to be around. It was only about four in the afternoon, but the sky outside looked darker due to the weather and time of year.

"Sing an older song!" the owner's wife, Maggie, yelled to the men after the crowd was done cheering again. It was like the village's own personal karaoke bar. Mina, Anastasia, and Vincent agreed with the entire pub, raising their mugs in the air like the rest and stomping their feet on the wooden floor.

"Ah, I have one!" one of the men smiled. He cleared his throat and started singing.

"_My darling beloved, beautiful as the rising dawn. Her skin is fairer than the snow and hair more silver than the moon. Her eyes have captured the stars, bewitching me with her looks..." _

The rest of the pub caught on to the song and began to join in. The three of them sat there, enjoying everyone singing like a bunch of drunken pirates.

"_My heart flutters with every word she speaks, an angel in appearance but a witch to all men. She has captured my heart and refuses to return it, but I know my darling beloved loves me just as much. A beauty that lives on forever though I do not. After I perish, my heart will live on in my darling beloved's care. One day we will be reunited and when we finally do, I know my darling beloved will give me her heart, too."_

The men received a standing ovation from the crowd as they bowed and finally sat back down in their seats after things died down. They clinked their glasses and sang other songs more quietly, the crowd breaking up and a few going outside to smoke their pipes. One of them tilted his hat at Mina before stepping out. She smiled politely at him and saw another man pass by who gave her the same gesture.

"Someone's pretty popular around here," Anastasia commented with a smirk.

"Oh, whatever…" Mina rolled her eyes.

"Those men weren't flirting with her. It's customary to tilt you hat at a young lady…or woman, when you pass by them," explained Vincent.

"Thank you!" Mina gave her friend an I-told-you-so look.

"Well, excuse me, Mr. Medieval Historian," Anastasia snickered and took another gulp of her beer. She was clearly getting tipsy as they were already on their third pitcher.

"Maybe you should slow down a little, Ana?" Vincent tried to take her mug away but she took it right back.

"I'm fine! Stop worrying," she rolled her eyes. "It's not like I'm driving home after this. If I get a ticket for not being able to walk in a straight line in the dirt road back to the castle, I'll gladly go to their jail cell, which is probably a barn, okay?" she joked sardonically, somewhat slurring her words.

"You're carrying her back, not me…" Mina raised an eyebrow at Vincent, taking a sip of beer.

"Great…" he rolled his eyes, also sipping his beer.

"May I join you?" someone said behind Mina.

Vincent stood up. "Sir Greenleaf!"

Mina froze. He was dressed in a long, green, crushed velvet robe with a big hood attached to keep him dry from the weather. Underneath he was still wearing his archery tunic. "Please seat down, Vincent," he smiled at him, placing a hand on his shoulder. Mina scooted over so that he had a place to sit. "Are you three having a good time?"

"Yes, we are!" Anastasia laughed merrily.

"Sorry, she's had quite a few beers already," Mina apologized.

"No need for apologies," he smiled, "Peter!" Legolas called the owner to their table.

"Ah…Master Legolas!" he slightly bowed. "It's always nice to see your presence here. What can I get for you?"

"Just a mug and another pitcher, please."

"Of course!"

"Umm…we've already had three pitchers," Vincent told him. "I don't know if we can finish another one."

Legolas grinned at Anastasia who was starting to fall asleep. "Judging from your friend's current state, it seems that she was the one who mostly drank those three pitchers. Just one more between the three of us, then we can call it an early night."

"Here you are, sire," Peter returned with another pitcher of beer and water for Anastasia. "This one's on me," he winked at them and went back to the bar to attend to the other customers.

"Peter is a good man," said Legolas and poured more beer into their mugs.

"Here, Ana, drink this," Mina handed her the glass of water. "If you don't want to be a hot mess tomorrow, you'll drink it." Anastasia forced the water down, although she would rather have drank more beer. She never liked drinking water after drinking alcohol since the taste was so bland in her mouth. Every time she took a sip, she made a face.

"Ugh…this is horrible!"

"Taking care of you tomorrow _will be_ _horrible_," Mina told her with a scolding look. "I know you hate drinking water, but just do it for us."

"Fine…" she sighed and forced another gulp down her throat.

"So…anyways…" Vincent started a new subject, "why are you still in your uniform?"

Legolas looked down at his attire and smiled to himself. "Well, I guess you can say this is what I'm most comfortable in. I went into the forest at dawn this morning and shot a few arrows for target practice."

"So, that's really your thing, huh? Shooting at things."

"Vincent!" Mina gave him a look for his seemingly rude comment.

"It's fine," the prince just smiled again. "Please don't hesitant to say what's on your mind. I come from a long line of archers. It is in my blood. My people are trained in the art at a very young age, along with wielding a sword. If one desires, they can train for hand-to-hand combat as well. So, yes, I suppose you could say I like shooting at things," he grinned. "I can shoot at targets with more precision than I could with a firing weapon. Hand guns are much louder and once the bullets are used, they cannot be reused again like an arrow. An arrow also gives you a cleaner kill."

"A cleaner kill? Like killing an animal?" asked Mina. The thought didn't sit too well with her.

"If you're a hunter," he nodded his head.

"And what are you, Sir Greenleaf?" Mina almost had a slight smirk on her lips.

"I am a protector," he returned the same expression. "I protect those who matter to me and are worth…dying for."

Vincent shook his head in disbelief. "They really don't make guys like you anymore; men who are all about honor and doing the right thing for the good of the people."

"What is there to live for without people around you to care for? Power and greed can only get one so far ahead and once everything is consumed…they have nothing left save their existence."

"Spoken like a true prince," Mina raised her glass and took a sip, and so did Vincent. Legolas chuckled at the two and joined in, taking a sip of his own beer.

"That makes sense though…" Vincent nodded, thinking. "With your kind of upbringing, it's only right to protect those that matter to you and be diplomatic about your actions. I think using a bow and arrow is also stealthier! Right?"

"In a manner of speaking…yes," he smiled at his enthusiasm. "If there is time, if you like, I can show you how to shoot at targets."

"Really? That would be awesome!"

"I thought you said that it was dangerous for those who didn't know how to hold a bow and arrow?" Mina grinned at him, recollecting her memory.

"Yes, I did say that," he grinned back, "but what I meant at the time was that I couldn't teach that many how to hold one properly. I was afraid that one of you would accidentally shoot the other. I wouldn't want to have to answer to any of your parents or have the school refuse your professor of another trip."

"It takes a lot of concentration, I heard," Vincent replied.

"It does until you're comfortable enough to trust your instincts. After a while, the bow and arrow become a part of you and you can almost tell it where you want it to go."

"Nice…" Vincent smiled on the idea. "When I get better, maybe I can show you how to hold one, too, Mina."

"No, I'm fine…thanks," she half-smiled. As the two men continued talking, Mina finally set her focus on Anastasia who had her head down on the table, quietly snoring. "Oh, Ana…" she laughed quietly. "It looks like someone is ready to go home."

Legolas and Vincent paused their conversation to look at their sleeping companion. Vincent sighed and shook his head. "I guess we should go then." Mina stood up with him when he stopped her. "You should…stay, Mina. It would be rude not to finish the complimentary drink the owner gave us. I can carry her back."

Mina was dumbfounded by his words. "I really can't drink anymore," she looked at Vincent then at Legolas. Well, she could probably have another beer but she just wasn't sure about the situation.

"Well, Sir Greenleaf just got here. We shouldn't have to rush him," he said, gently waking up Anastasia and putting her arm around his neck.

The prince only smiled, still sipping his beer. "Don't worry about me. I can finish it on my own. Please, don't feel like you have to stay on my account either." He looked toward Mina. She felt torn with wanting to leave and wanting to say with Legolas.

"Are we done already?" Anastasia asked groggily. "I thought we were having one more round?"

"No. You're done," Vincent told her sternly. "We're going back to the castle. Mina and Sir Greenleaf are going to stay here."

Anastasia made a face. "You're always such a party-pooper, Vincent."

"Yeah, yeah," he rolled his eyes.

"Vincent…" Mina was still struggling on what to do.

"It's okay, Mina," he nodded with some assurance. "The castle isn't that far."

"I assure you the path back to the Water Castle is safe. But, please, as I said don't feel obligated to stay on my behalf, Mina," Legolas finally spoke, looking at her as if he wasn't bothered on being alone.

"It's up to you," Vincent shrugged.

Mina wanted to leave with her friends since she still felt intimidated by the prince. However, she also felt bad for leaving him by himself when he came there to join them. The two were looking at her for a decision while she looked around the nosey pub. She didn't see anyone staring at their table, which eased her nerves. Mina finally took a silent deep breath and forced a smile. "I'll stay with you…" she sat back down.

"Have Gandalf assist you with her once you arrive," Legolas said to Vincent. He helped him put on Anastasia's jacket then sat down on the opposite side of Mina so that they were now facing each other.

"Thanks, Vincent. I hope she won't be too much trouble for you," Mina smiled appreciatively.

"Yeah, no biggie," he half-smiled and stumbled out of the door with Anastasia's heavily limbs. For a brief moment, he looked back into the window at Mina and Legolas, and sighed quietly at the two.

"Thank you for staying," Legolas said to her.

"Yeah, no problem," she poured herself another glass.

"You're still uneasy around me, aren't you?" Legolas suddenly said as he examined Mina's features.

She glanced up at him then looked away, bringing her attention back to her drink. "I think it's kind of obvious, isn't it?" she murmured, blushed.

"What is it about me that makes you so nervous?" he asked with a crooked grin.

She gave him a baffling look then relaxed her eyes. "I don't know…" she answered quietly, averting her eyes again. "I don't go around kissing people like that, for one thing. I've never done that before and…it just felt…awkward after."

"I do apologize for that and hope you can forgive me. I shouldn't have been so forward with you. It was very ungentlemanly of me."

"Well, it wasn't like I didn't kiss you back…"

Something in his expression seemed to have amused him. Mina couldn't get over the fact at how handsome he was. His little gestures and the way he smiled and tried to stay cool and composed made her heart skip a beat. He responded well to every question, was polite, well-mannered and confident. Legolas didn't seem like the cocky-type, but if he had to be, she knew he could pull it off with ease.

Mina was starting to feel such a strong attraction toward him and she couldn't help but stress over it. He was constantly on her mind, but she tried to play it off around her friends. No one ever had this kind of effect on her before and she was at a loss on how to carry herself around him when he surprises her with his actions. He was good about turning her brain into mush. The one thing she still didn't fully understand is why he seemed to take a liking to _her_.

"What would you say if I asked you to come back when your class trip is over? You still have a full summer in the States don't you? I'll take care of your expenses."

"What?" her face turned even brighter. She could picture Anastasia snickering at her at this very moment if she heard what he had just said. "Why…why would you want me to come back here?"

Legolas grinned at her response. "Isn't it obvious?"

"I can't. I'm starting to see someone back home…" she tried to put as much conviction and confidence in her voice as possible.

"No, you're not," he called her bluff. "I have never heard you speak of anyone while you've been here…never seen you talk on the phone with anyone except for your parents…and if you _were_ seeing someone, you wouldn't have returned my kiss."

"Hey, don't act like you know me!" She became a little annoyed by his assumptions.

"Please correct me then If I am wrong?" he replied coolly.

Mina gave him one of her stubborn looks that he knew so well. She was easy enough to read since she had similar little quirks like his old beloved. It was only a matter of time before she confessed the truth. "I still don't understand you. Why me? Aren't I a little…_young_ for you?"

"Perhaps," he shrugged nonchalantly. "But, I didn't see you as the type to care so much of what other people thought."

"I don't," she said defensively. "Aren't you concerned about what people will say about _you_? You're a prince. It sounds…scandalous—a prince dating an American student he just met," she took a sip of her beer. She was trying to be careful around him since she was starting to feel it in her head.

"I didn't say anything about dating," he grinned. "I only asked if you would like to come back and visit me."

Mina almost choked on her drink. Her face was even more flushed as she wiped her chin with a napkin. "It's practically the same thing. People will speculate you're trying to date me," she mumbled quietly.

The prince folded his arms. "Well, then—for argument's sake, let's say that _I am_ trying to date you. Would you allow me to court you?"

"But…why?"

"Because I know you feel exactly the same way I do whenever I'm near you," he leaned into the table, looking deeply into her eyes. "Can you honestly deny that?"

She looked down at her beer to think. "I really don't know…how I feel. I barely know you and it feels like things are already moving way too fast."

"You still have a few days here. It might not be enough time, but at least we can try to get better acquainted with each other?" Mina still looked hesitant and unsure. Legolas finally leaned back into his seat and smiled. "I'm not asking anything from you that you cannot give, Mina. My only intention is to get to know you more; your likes and dislikes, your childhood—whatever you wish to share with me."

"Is this really how you get girls?" she raised an eyebrow, half-jokingly.

Legolas laughed. "If that were true, don't you think I would have a flock of ladies swarming me by now?" he looked around the bar that was mostly comprised of the male population in the village.

"How would I know?" she shrugged. "You may not be like that here, but who knows what sort of things you like to get into when you're in the city."

"Well, then…why don't you visit the city with me sometime and find out?"

"You're really persistent, aren't you?"

"When I need to be."

"Well," she sighed. "I don't know what to say to your offer."

"Think about it. There's still time," he finished his beer. "Shall we go?"

She nodded knowing that she couldn't drink anymore. They said thank you and goodbye to the owners and headed home. It finally stopped raining as they walked down the muddy road. Mina was freezing since she wasn't wearing a lot of layers with the outfit he had provided her and her friends. "Aren't you cold?" she asked him.

"The cold weather doesn't bother me," he replied. "My body is used to this kind of climate."

"Lucky you," she sneezed, giving a quick shiver to shake off the breeze.

"Here," Legolas draped his cloak around her. "This should help keep you warm." He took her hands into his since he could tell her fingers were cold to the touch. "Is that better?"

"Your hands are always so warm," she commented as she watched him make circles with his thumbs.

"I haven't really notice," he said, still focused ahead. Some of the villagers who they passed smiled at them, looking down at their hands. Mina slowly took her hands back and tried to put them in her pockets, but Legolas wouldn't let her. "It might be too soon to ask this of you, but trust me a little. I don't intend to dishonor you, Mina. I am merely showing you how I feel."

"You make me nervous," she admitted shyly.

"I told you, don't be," he smiled warmly, gently kissing her hand. Even his lips were warm on her skin, which sent a tingling sensation throughout her body.

"How can I not be?" she shook her head at his words. "You're…handsome, charming, sweet…and a prince! C'mon, there's probably a million girls throwing themselves at you all the time when you're in the city."

"I'm not a _playboy_ if that's what you're thinking," he smiled, rolling his eyes.

"I never said you were! I'm just curious as to why you're still…single."

"I've dated a few women here and there but I haven't been able to find anyone to hold my interest long enough to want a more meaningful relationship. They're all great ladies, but just not for me."

"So, it's you and not them…is that right?" she chuckled.

"Yes, I'd say so," he laughed softly. "But you—you're different. You have a good heart, Mina. I see you as someone I can just sit with for hours, talking about everything, and enjoying every second of it."

"You barely know me, Sir Greenleaf," she told him. "I might turn out like all the other women you've encountered. You might fancy me now, but after a while, you might end up changing your mind."

"Well, I won't know that if you don't give me a chance," he smirked. "And, please just call me Legolas. I never really liked Sir Greenleaf."

"What about Prince Legolas?"

"I would say 'yes', but there is no reason to be so formal with my name."

"Wouldn't it be strange of me to call you Legolas while Anastasia and Vincent still call you Sir Greenleaf?"

"They don't need to call me that either. Tell them 'Legolas' is fine."

"When do you think the roads will clear?" Mina suddenly changed the subject after seeing how poor the roadways looked after the storm.

"It really depends on when the rain stops completely. I'll have Gandalf check the road leading to the bridge out of the area tomorrow."

"Can I…go with him?"

Legolas smiled. "Of course you can. Your friends can come along as well if they like."

"Don't think I don't trust you…I just want to see the damages for myself," she explained.

"I completely understand," he smiled again and squeezed her hands. They finally reached the castle and stood face to face by the staircase. "I have some business to finish. Can you find your way back to your room?"

"Yeah…I think I can manage," she nodded. "I should also check up on Anastasia."

"That sounds like a good idea. Well…sleep well, dear Mina," he kissed her hands again and disappeared around the corner.

"Bye…" she whispered after he was gone.

She started to like him more than she wanted to admit to herself, especially to _him_. Mina felt like her skin was the only thing keeping her insides from exploding all over the place. Every little thing he said and did tonight felt surreal every time she thought about. Since she was alone, she let a little smile creep upon her lips; a smile that would stay a secret.

Finally nearing the hallway to her new room where her friends also slept, Mina heard a noise in the opposite hallway. There was also some type of light coming from that direction. She wondered if it was Gandalf or one of the other servants so she went and investigated. As she turned the corner, she saw a girl with small candleholder in her hand. "Hello?"

The girls smiled at her with the light flickering on her features. "Hello, Mina…"

"How did you know—hey, it's you!" she said to the girl. It was the same mysterious girl she kept seeing around the castle. Mina was a little upset because she remembered that she almost drowned because of her. "Who _are_ you?"

"I have waited for you, Mina…" she said in almost a whispered voice.

"What are you talking about?" Mina asked confused. "You still haven't answered my question. Who _are you_? Are you a guest or a relative of Sir Greenleaf's?"

The girl just smiled and walked down the hallway as Mina rolled her eyes in frustration. She didn't like playing games and that is what this girl was clearly doing. She shook her head and walked away. There was no way she was going to follow her knowing she would just most likely disappear again. After their last incident, she wasn't looking into potentially dying again.

"Where are you going, Mina?" the girl suddenly appeared around the other hallway where she was heading. Mina gasped loudly, jumping in place. She has to cover her mouth to stifle a scream.

"Holy crap!" she placed her hands on her thumping heart. "Where the hell did you come from?"

"Come this way…" she appeared behind her, startling Mina again.

"What…are you?" Mina backed away slowly. "It must be the alcohol," she tried to tell herself. "None of this is real..."

"Trust me, Mina," she kept on smiling.

Mina raised an eyebrow. "Are you _joking _me? You want me to trust _you_…whatever you are? You tried to kill me!"

"Oh, Mina," she laughed softly. "Never would I put you in danger."

"If Legolas didn't save me, I could have drowned in the water! I think that's a good sign of being in danger," she replied angrily.

"Legolas," the girl fondly smiled at his name but seemed pained to say it. "I knew he would come for you. He would never let anything happen to you…he loves you too much."

"What?" she was taken aback and couldn't help but blush in the dark. "I don't know what you're talking about or what you've heard, but that's not true…"

"You feel the same for him. Deny what you feel all you want, Mina…but the emotions in your eyes are as visible as the silver moon in the sky." The girl took a step forward and looked directly into her eyes. Mina was shocked to see that she had the same light blue eyes as her.

"Do I…know you?"

"Perhaps not yet," she answered. "But, I know _you._"

"What is it that you want with me? And how come no one else can see you? I'm going crazy, aren't I? I'm either drunk or going insane."

"Follow me, Mina…" the mysterious girl repeated herself and began to walk away.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Mina finally started to follow her, but she was moving too fast. Mina had to pick up her pace. Pretty soon she was running after her. "Slow down!" This girl was beyond frustrating and at this point Mina figured there was no point in getting any information out of her. "Yup. I've gone crazy," she grumbled.

There was another hallway with the windows open and the curtains blowing in the wind. Mina tried to free herself of them as she kept following the girl. She had stopped in front of a door waiting for her in silence. Mina was so close to her, but the curtains were making it more difficult the closer she approached. One of them finally tangled itself around her and she couldn't breath. She tried to call to the girl for help but her words were muffled. Mina soon started to feel light-headed and collapsed. The loud thud she made on the floor woke her as she scrambled to her feet.

Adjusting her eyes in the dark, she found herself in her room with her blanket wrapped around her body, restricting her movements. Mina was confused about finding herself there and not in the hallway. "Was I dreaming?" she asked herself aloud. She looked at the floor next to her and saw that she knocked over one of the candleholders and picked it up to place back on the bedside table. But, just before she did, she also saw her family's journal that must have also fallen. It was opened to a random page when she picked it up.

Mina sat down slowly as she read the first few lines on the page. "My darling beloved…" it said.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I'll try to get the next chapter up as soon as I can. Please be patient! And please review!


	8. The Black Leather Book

**Author's Note: **Hello, lovelies! Hope you all had a great Christmas. Thanks for waiting for this chapter. I'm afraid the time lapse might get longer and longer since life is finally catching up to me. However, I'll try not to disappoint or be away for too long in between chapters!

Hope you enjoy!

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**CHAPTER 8: The Black Leather Book**

"What are you reading, Mina?" asked Anastasia. She noticed her engrossed in a book during breakfast. Anastasia was rubbing her temple, trying to get the room to stop spinning. One of the servants gave her some sort of herbal tea that helped a little but it wasn't a magical cure for her hangover. She was hovering over her toilet the whole night after Vincent dropped her off in her room.

Mina looked up after she turned the page. "My grandfather put a book together of my ancestors' past journal entries. Some of it is really old so the writing is hard to make out. Everything was written in long curve back then, too. I'm reading my relative Elise's entries."

"Who's that?" she asked, slouching wearily into her seat.

"Not sure?" she shrugged. "From what I gather she was really in love with a prince in a neighboring kingdom where war broke out and couldn't see him for a long time."

"Is that the relative you were named after?"

"No…I don't think so? Her name was Elise, not Willamina."

"Well, her story sounds like the relative you told me about with the same name."

"Yeah, I know. I thought maybe they could have been sisters who were in love with two brothers from the same kingdom."

"Isn't that like incest?" her friend made a face.

"They're technically not related, Ana," she rolled her eyes. "If one of them married one of the brothers, I don't think it was really frowned upon if you had a crush on your brother-in-law. Besides, brothers and sisters of royal blood used to consummate with each other in order to keep their bloodline pure."

"Gross."

"What's gross?" Vincent walked in and sat down at the table, taking food from the different trays laid out in front of him.

"Brothers and sisters getting it on," replied Anastasia with a chuckle.

"What?" he gave her weird look.

"Ignore her," Mina shook her head. "Do you guys remember that song from the pub last night?"

Anastasia yawned, "What song? I don't remember much of last night…"

"Of course you don't," Vincent mumbled. "Which song are you talking about?"

"The _Darling Beloved_ one?"

"Yeah, I remember it. Almost everyone in the entire pub was singing it. What about it?"

"Well, I came across an entry with those words in it, _my darling beloved_."

"And…?" Anastasia was waiting for her to explain further.

"Entry?" Vincent looked confused.

"It's a journal entry from a relative of mine." Mina turned the book upside so that they could read it across the table. "It has Elise's name at the top but the entry isn't in her handwriting. It's completely different as if someone else wrote it for her."

"Maybe she was trying a different style of handwriting?" Anastasia assumed, not really paying attention due to the migraine she had.

Mina rolled her eyes. "Read the entry," she pointed to a passage.

Vincent took the book from her and read it. "My darling beloved is as beautiful as the rising dawn. The silver moon becomes jealous of her whenever her presence is near. Her eyes have captured the stars, bewitching me with her looks. My heart soars above the heavens with every word she speaks, an angel in appearance every time we meet. She has captured my heart, caged firmly in her hands. Our love will live on forever in this life and the next, and although the ages will slowly come and go, my love will always remain steadfast and strong." He placed the book back on the table. "Wow. Nice penmanship."

"So, you agree with me that someone else wrote it," she asked.

"Well, I don't think she would be talking about herself like that," Anastasia replied. "Unless she was really vain or something…"

"If you also look carefully at the bottom, whoever wrote it left their initial," Vincent pointed out. "It's kind of smudged and hard to read since this isn't the original copy but it looks like the letter _L_."

"Lance!" Mina exclaimed.

"Who?" they both asked.

"It was the prince Elise was in love with," she explained. "He probably took the journal from her and made his own entry under her name." Mina smiled at how much they appeared to care for each other. "I wonder if true love like that could really stand the test of time?"

"Anything is possible when you're in love…" Vincent answered quietly. Anastasia rolled her eyes knowing he would never have a chance with her friend. She could swear he was also blushing at Mina, but she was too preoccupied with her thoughts to notice.

"Isn't it strange that what's written in here is similar to the song they sang last night?" Mina re-read the words.

"It's an old journal and we're in an old part of the country. That type of poetry he wrote could have been passed down to different areas around here and turned into a song that has been modified over time," Anastasia said.

Vincent thought about her conclusion. "I guess it could be logical? You said before your family was originally from England, weren't they?" he asked Mina.

"Yeah, but I don't see how anyone would have known about what he wrote in her journal. I highly doubt she was passing it around for everyone to read. These entries have been in my family's keeping for decades."

"Well, what if it was stolen by someone and whoever stole it saw what he wrote and made a song out of it? Or, maybe he was the one singing it around town and it just caught on?"

"I don't know?" Mina sighed, leaning back into her seat, baffled by the song and the journal entry.

"Hey, think Sir Greenleaf would know anything about it?" Anastasia took the book from Mina. "His family has lived here for forever, right? I'm sure there are some stories he could tell us?"

"Maybe," she shrugged. "We'll have to ask whenever he's available. Oh, and he said to just call him 'Legolas' from now on…"

"What?" Anastasia leaned in, sliding the book back to her. "When did he decide to have us call him that?" she looked intrigued at her friend. "Did something happen between you two last night?" Vincent looked uncomfortable but didn't say a word.

"No!" Mina gave her a look. "We were just talking and it came up."

"So, what _does_ he do around here that keeps him so busy?" Anastasia wondered.

"Princely things probably?" Vincent shared his thoughts, which got another annoyed look from the ginger-haired girl.

"Glad we're on the same page, Vincent," she said sarcastically.

Mina stood up. "He _did_ say I could check out the library if I wanted. Maybe we can find some stories in there about the past."

"Okay, let's go," Vincent started to leave the dinning hall, but then stopped. "Umm…where _is_ the library?" Anastasia's headache was getting bigger and bigger.

"Umm, excuse me," Mina said to one of the servants close by, "can you please tell me where the library is?"

"Yes, milady. It's located in the western wing of the castle. It will be the last door at the end of the hallway."

"Thanks," she said and walked out with her friends. Legolas's castle wasn't like a house. There were long hallways and turns at every corner. The difficult part was that most of the hallways looked the same except for little differences like the tapestries and tables.

"They really should post maps and directories around this place," Anastasia sighed. "It feels like we're going around in circles again."

"Just be patient," Mina told her. "It's this way."

"And how do you know?"

"I just do. I can feel it…" she answered. There was something about the path they were on that felt familiar to her as if she had been here before. Little markings and items along the way trigged strange flashes of memories the closer they got to their destination. Mina couldn't explain it but she knew they were walking in the right direction.

"Why does everything have to be so far in this castle?" her friend whined.

"Stop pouting, Ana," she gave her an irritated look. "You should have paced yourself last night and the result of your hangover is your own fault. You didn't have to come along if all you're going to be doing is complaining. You should have just gone back to your room and slept it off."

"Jeez, Mina. What side of the bed did _you _fall out of?" Anastasia furrowed her eyebrows at her. "You've seen me in a far worse state than this before—this is nothing—and you get on my case about supporting you and following you to a place where we don't even know is located?"

Mina turned around and was about to say something in response until Vincent got in between them. He saw neither girl was going to back down from the rising argument. "Girls, please! This isn't the time for this!" he said to them. "We can't afford to be fighting. We'll be stuck here for who knows how many more days and since it's just the three of us, we should try to make the best of our situation. Anastasia, Mina is right. If you still weren't feeling well you should have just gone back to your room and rested."

"Of course you'd take her side…" she looked offended by his comment.

"And Mina, you have to give Ana credit for even attempting to come with us. She's also right in being here to support this...expedition."

"Fine, I'm sorry for snapping at you," Mina dully said to Anastasia with her hands still balled in a fist.

"I'm sorry for complaining," Anastasia mumbled with her arms still crossed over her chest. Vincent knew he wasn't going to get a better apology out of them until they really cooled off so he just smiled and stayed in the middle while Mina led them onward.

"I think that's it?" Mina finally stopped at a set of double doors, very plain looking without any type of designs on it.

"Are you…sure?" Vincent looked skeptically at the door.

"Yes, positive," Mina nodded. "C'mon." She turned the knob slowly and pushed one of the doors open. There was minimal light from the windows, which made the room dark and eerie. "Look for a light switch," she said.

Anastasia found the switch and jumped back a little. There were rows and rows of bookshelves and tables. The place looked bigger than Odegaard Library on the UW campus. Almost every book looked the same like they were placed there for decorations and weren't really meant for reading.

"Do you think all these are actual books?" Vincent looked around, amazed.

Mina picked up one and flipped through it. "It looks real enough."

"So, what are we looking for exactly?" Anastasia wandered around.

"I don't really know…" she gazed at the rows before them. "Maybe something that looks out of the ordinary, something old, tattered."

The three of them split up to cover more grounds. There were three floors so each one took a level and walked around until something caught their eye. Most of the books they saw looked like encyclopedia books with the same bindings but in different shades. Some of them weren't even written in English, but in the strange dialect that the prince spoke. Vincent wondered what his language actually sounded like.

_A-choo! _Mina sneezed.

"Are you getting sick again?" Vincent called down.

"No, it's just all this dust down here," she rubbed her nose and covered it with her sleeve. The dim light didn't cover the entire room so the back end of the first floor wasn't lit very well. Mina had to take her other sleeve and wiped the books clean so she could read their titles. She was skimming through as she went from one row of shelves to the next. "Any luck up there?" she asked her friends, but neither one replied. She figured she was too far away for them to hear. Finding nothing out of the ordinary, she started to head back.

"Here, Mina…"

"Who's there?" she turned around quickly. Mina listened quietly for the voice but it didn't speak to her again. Out of curiosity, she went further in the back where the light barely shone, covering her nose again. She felt her way around the wall and suddenly stumbled forward on a pile of books on the floor. "Oww! Son of a…" she rubbed her knees unhappily.

Luckily, there happened to be a table near where she tripped so she could steady herself. Grasping the top of the table, she felt something under her hand. Taking a closer look at the object, it was an oversized black leather book with a bronze latch on it. Surprisingly, there were candles and matches by it that she used to her advantage. Wiping the dust off, she read in the light, "The Wood of Greenleaves. Hmm…interesting…" she undid the latch, opened it to a random page, and started reading. She was so caught up in the story, she didn't hear Anastasia approaching.

"Mina?" she placed a hand on her shoulder.

Mina jumped, dropping the book on the floor. It gave a loud thud and sent dust flying everywhere. "You scared me!" she coughed, covering her mouth and nose.

"What are you doing all the way back here?" Anastasia asked, also coughing and covering her mouth while trying to wave away the dust. "Vincent and I have been calling your name."

She picked up the book and put the latch back on. "I think I found something."

"What is it?"

"Let's go find Vincent first and talk where it's not so stuffy."

"Hey, Mina…about the way I acted earlier…" Anastasia began. "I'm—"

"Forget it," she shook her head. "It's not a big deal. I shouldn't have been so short with you. You had every right to be mad at me."

"No, I didn't. I really _was _whining, but I came because I didn't want to miss out on anything," she sighed.

"Well, then," she looped her arm around hers and started walking, "you'll be interested to hear what I just came across," she smiled. They found Vincent and sat at the one the tables near the front where it was a lot cleaner and not so full of dust bunnies. Mina placed the book on the table for them to see.

"The Wood of Greenleaves?" Vincent read the title upside down. "For a book this big, I'm surprised it doesn't have more pages."

"Well, according to my grandfather, people tried to fit as much as they could onto one page to conserve paper since it was the only form of communication they had," Mina said. "Unlike today, with technology, we have all kinds of ways we can use to write messages and letters to each other."

Anastasia scooted her chair in. "So, what's so interesting about this book?" she examined the book.

"It talked about a king that ruled a place called the Wood of Greenleaves that was always under attack by enemies. His territory was the biggest and most prominent and because it was surrounded by forests and trees, and they had a tactical advantage with their defenses. His son, the prince, fell in love with a princess from a neighboring kingdom that was also vast and well-known in the region. The book called it_ Gondor_…where the race of Men lived."

"The race of Men?" Anastasia raised an eyebrow. "So, what were this king and prince? Aliens?"

Vincent rolled his eyes at her remark. "Don't be ridiculous, Ana."

Mina shrugged. "The book said they were a part of the _Firstborn_…whatever that means? It also mentions they weren't like the regular inhabitants of the region." Mina then leaned into the table with a mischievous grin, "Some called them immortals. They weren't prone to sickness, were quick and light on their feet, had excellent hearing and could see for miles on end."

"Sounds like aliens to me," Anastasia yawned. "I bet it says they also abducted people."

It was now Mina's turn to roll her eyes at her friend. "Can you just be serious for a second?"

"Okay, okay. Sorry!" she adjusted her position. "Did this king and prince have a name?"

"No," she shook her head, sighing. "There aren't any pictures either…but…"

"But what?" asked Vincent. She sat down slowly and looked up at her friends. "What is it, Mina?"

"It's almost the same story in Elise's journal entry. What gave me the chills is this," she turned to a page and pointed at a passage.

Vincent faced it toward him and read it aloud. "The Wood of Greenleaves was a beautiful Elven kingdom. The murky woods that surrounded it gave intruders a hard time finding their way to safety as not all paths were safe, for evil lurked all around its southern borders. To the north where the kingdom stood was a magnificent ocean that gleamed like the stars in the day…"

"Elven kingdom?" Anastasia asked. "What? So…they were like...Elves? Little pointy-eared creatures that work at the North Pole?"

"That sounds…" Vincent's words tailed off.

"Crazy?" Anastasia thought this was turning into a children's book.

"But, doesn't it sound like the Water Castle?" Mina asked her friends. "This place is surrounded by woods on one side and the sea on the other."

"Yeah, but these woods aren't dangerous," Vincent felt the black leather. "The book didn't mention a village either."

"Well," Anastasia took it from him, "the landscape could have changed over the decades, too, ya know. Maybe this prince was a great-great-great uncle or cousin or something of Sir Greenleaf or Legolas or whatever he wants to be called? He's all about history's past so he should know about his own family's history since he's lived here all his life."

Vincent grinned. "You think his ancestor could be tied to your ancestor Elise?" he asked Mina.

"It could be a possibility…"

"You should ask him, see what he says," Anastasia suggested. "I'm leaving," she stood up. "I'm going to sleep this annoying hangover off." She said her good-byes and left the library.

"I think I'll stay here for a little bit longer. Sir Greenleaf has so many books. I might find a good book to read while we're here," Vincent said. "You're more than welcome to say with me…"

"No, thanks," she replied, carrying the black leather book under her arms. "I think I'll head back to my room, too."

"Oh…okay," he looked disappointed. Mina half-smiled and walked out.

Mina was lost in her own thoughts while walking through the hallways. The closer she got to the main corridor, the lighter the rooms became. The sun was actually peaking through the clouds a little, which gave her hope that someone would work on the roads today. She was supposed to accompany Gandalf to see the bridge after lunch. It wasn't something she thought to mention to her friends since she felt like being alone and away from the castle for a couple of hours. Mina would just deal with their reaction when they found out.

Down the hallway, she realized she must have made a wrong turn. It was a smaller corridor that overlooked the beach. After finding her way to a more familiar hall, Mina dropped the book off in her room and ventured outside. It was strange retracing her steps again after what happened. She looked around cautiously in case she saw the strange girl or even Legolas watching her. She wasn't exactly sure why she was heading down there again after everyone's fair share of warnings; maybe she didn't think death would reach her the same way twice, or maybe she was just curious to see what would happen this time around?

The waves were much calmer than they were the previous days but the wind blew the same into the chilly morning. But, Mina was prepared and brought her jacket with her, zipped up to the very top of the collar with her arms hugging her body tightly. She couldn't help but blink at the gust of wind blowing against her as if warning her to stay way from the water. Heeding its silent warning, she sat herself a good distance away on the stony sand, just listening to the sea.

It had such a soothing melody to her ears, like a classical ballet or a dance at a masquerade ball. She could picture herself within the enchantment, bowing and smiling at the people around her. With her eyes still closed, she lifted her arms in a perfect position around her imaginary partner's shoulders and took his hand. In her head, she was twirling and dancing on the ballroom floor while her body stayed still, sitting quietly on the sand.

As the song in her head changed to a faster melody, her body seemed to have been lifted up into the air by her partner; their bodies close and swaying together in one fluid motion. He was an excellent dancer, which made her blush and smile at the same time. He led her gently, but forcefully enough to make her body obey his every wish in his arms. Mina couldn't resist the desire to be in this moment with him…forever.

"Stay with me…" she heard herself whisper in her reverie.

"Always," he softly replied in return.

He dipped her gently as the song ended. Cheers and applause from the crowd faded into background. The music had slowed down again as the dancers began a new rhythm to its melody. Mina and her masked partner stood there amongst them, captivated by each other's gaze. He grinned at her, taking off her mask, which caused her to blush again. She smiled coyly, looking into his blue eyes. Mina's eyes sprang with shock as he finally took off his own mask.

"Sir Greenleaf!" she gasped, eyes blinking widely when she saw him standing in front of her on the beach. It wasn't a dream after all. Everything she imaged in her head was real. "I'm so sorry!" she shook her head and tried to run away until he stopped her.

"Mina!" he turned her back around. "What are you so afraid of?" he asked her gently, searching through the confusion he saw in her eyes. Her eyes started to well as he spoke to her. He could tell something was troubling her and his abrasiveness toward her wasn't helping. He let her go and relaxed his features. "You know you can trust me, Mina…" he caressed her cheek with the back of his hand.

She looked away, managing to hold back her tears. Mina sighed and sat back down slowly, Legolas doing the same next to her. "What are you doing out here?" she finally asked.

"I saw you through the window sitting by yourself. I came down to see if you were feeling any better. You had your eyes closed and seemed to be lost in your thoughts, even after I tried getting your attention. You then lifted your arms and asked me to dance with you."

"I…did?" she looked surprised.

"Yes," he nodded. "Don't you…remember?"

"Uh-uh…" she slowly shook her head. "Ugh! What's wrong me?" she asked herself, frustrated, burying her face in her hands on her lap. "I'm going crazy!"

"No, you're not," he gently rubbed her back. "You had a traumatic experience in the water. Give yourself time to recuperate."

"You don't understand," she sat straight up again, "I'm starting to see things! Even before that incident!"

Concern graced his features. "What kinds of…things?"

"It's nothing," she answered quietly.

"Mina, please? I might not be able to help, but it might ease some of the stress if you talk about it. I'm assuming you haven't told your friends?"

She hesitantly shook her head. "They wouldn't understand…"

"Well, then…try _me_," he smiled. She looked at him unsure of how he would react himself. "I have a knack for understanding things that others might not."

Mina looked up at the clouds that were covered with a few gray splotches. "I've been hearing things at night that seems like a dream but they're not. And a girl—a girl who wanders the hallways who I can only seem to see. She was the one who I followed into the water. She was the one who I was trying to save. I saw her again after that and she said she wasn't trying to drown me and that…" she paused.

"It's all right, Mina," Legolas gave her another comforting smile.

"And that…she knew you would save me…" she looked at him with concerned eyes.

"I see," he sighed quietly. "This girl you have seen, what does she look like?"

"She looks about my age, maybe a year or two older…dark brown hair and light blue eyes like mine," she described. "Even her hair is about the same length as mine," she examined her dark locks that fell close to the small of her back. "She looks so familiar yet…I can't place her face. Do you know her?"

Legolas was somewhat shocked by her question, but it was only natural for her to ask. "The Water Castle is very old and holds many ancient stories. I suppose you can call them legends, even ghost stories, and it's very rare for outsiders to actually witness any of it."

"What are you talking about?"

"I haven't been very truthful with you, Mina."

"About what?" she was starting to get even more confused and curious.

"When I found out that your last name was Mendinhale, I knew exactly who you were," he confessed.

"What does that have to do with anything that I've told you? And how do you know me?"

"Our families are very old acquaintances…from the old days. Your family's castle sat on the other side of this area, about thirty minutes away by vehicle—an hour by horse."

"Wait, wait," she stopped him with her hands, "what do you mean my family's _castle_?"

The prince grinned a little. "There is a lot about your family's history your grandfather wasn't able to tell you before he passed."

"You knew him?" she raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"Yes. Eleazar Mendinhale. Your grandfather was a great man…we all mourned his death."

"You're joking, right?" she still couldn't believe he knew him. Her grandfather never mentioned Legolas or his family or any trips he's taken to Europe. "And what castle are you referring to? There's no other castle around here for miles. It's all landscapes and mountains until you hit the main town."

He sighed at the memories on his mind. "That is why I said the castle _sat_…not _sits_ on the other side of this area," he replied.

"Okay…and so?" she shrugged.

"Mendenhalle Castle was destroyed two centuries ago. Any remnant of that great kingdom now lies underneath the dirt of its surrounding borders."

"What…?"

"After their princess died, the king went into despair and couldn't get over the grievances for his beloved daughter. With the king unable to rule his kingdom, the castle was seized by enemies and burned to the ground. He refused to leave his daughter's grave no matter how hard they pleaded with him and was lost within its walls. Those who were able to escape went into hiding, some at the Water Castle, others looked for a new life in the Americas."

"How did the princess die?" she asked quietly, her own thoughts in another place.

Legolas stared hard into the sand, pain in his eyes, hoping he could disguise his misery. "She killed herself…"

"What!" she looked at him in shock. "Why would she do such a thing?"

"She received false news that the prince she loved was killed in battle trying to defend his home, which was untrue. Because she hadn't heard from him in days, she believed the enemy's messenger. By the time the prince had reached her, she was already on her death bed with only a few breaths left in her," he tried to keep his voice even. It was the first time Legolas had ever told the story to anyone since it was well-known throughout their region. Being reminded of it wasn't easy for him to bear either.

"So, she took her own life to try and be with him…even in death?"

"Yes," he nodded. "It was a very tragic and devastating moment for the prince. He vowed to live for her everyday until they could be reunited again someday."

"And what of that girl I told you about? The one I've been seeing around? How does she tie into all of this?"

"Do you not see, Mina?" he gave her a chance to figure it out for herself.

She looked at him clueless at first, until the pieces of his story started fitting together with what she knew. "No…." she gave him a doubtful look. "It can't be?"

"Can't be what?" he smirked.

"This strange girl I've been seeing around can't be the same princess who took her life."

Legolas gave a casual shrug. "And why not?"

"For one, she's a ghost and I don't believe in ghosts and two…well…things like that don't exist in the real world," she tried to sound convincing, but even she didn't believe the lame explanation herself.

The prince also couldn't help but laugh at her assumption. "Who is to say what the real world is? What if this is it? Don't forget where you are, Lady Mina. This region is filled with long forgotten history and old magic. Anything is possible here."

"Well, what does this princess want with me?"

"She may have something important to tell you. She is, after all, your ancestor. Have you tried asking her what she wants?" he asked. She gave him a sarcastic look regarding the obvious. "Okay, then," he smiled, "I am out of ideas."

"You never really had one to begin with…" she mumbled to herself.

"Pardon?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing," Mina politely smiled. "I have another question for you. I finally found your library and came across a black leather book titled _The Wood of Greenleaves_."

"Ah, yes…that book," Legolas rolled his eyes, adjusting himself on the sand. "I told that Hobbit not to publish that…" he mumbled too low for Mina to hear.

"The castle in the book sounds strikingly similar to the Water Castle," she said.

"That's because it _is_ the Water Castle," he smiled. "Back in the day, anyway. Back when times were darker and the paths weren't safe at night. But when peace was in the lands, this area was a sight to behold. And, now, as you can see, much has changed since then. It is still a beautiful area without all the troubles of enemies."

"I don't understand the name, The Wood of Greenleaves?"

"Of course you do," he grinned. "Think about it. What noble family rules here?"

"The Greenleafs, right?" she chuckled.

"Exactly!" he raised his eyebrows up and down. "The name refers to the woods—Mirkwood—to be exact. However, it's only a small forest now."

"What's this placed called _Gondor_?"

Legolas's smile faltered a little. "Gondor, you say?"

"Yeah, it was also mentioned in the book…where the race of Men lived. What does that mean?"

"I didn't realize how far you had gotten into your reading," he covered his annoyance under his smile. He had told Bilbo Baggins not to write about the fated history of the Water Castle, yet he didn't listen and actually published it to be read. He swore he only made the one copy that Legolas kept in his possession. Not thinking Mina or anyone would find it, he never hid it in a secret location, which he was now mentally kicking himself in the head over.

"I skimmed mostly," she replied. "So, tell me about this Gondor place where the race of Men lived. Don't tell me women weren't allowed there?"

"No," he chuckled, "It wasn't that kind of place. Many men, women and children lived there. So did the king and queen."

"Now I'm confused…again."

"How can I put this in terms you will understand?" Legolas thought for a moment, not wanting to give too much away. "Every family or _race_ is broken up into a clan. Gondor, the race of Men have their own clan and so do the Greenleaf family."

"The Firstborn?" she asked. "Is that the name of your clan? I also read it in the book. Or are you a part of the Greenleaf clan?"

He was surprised about her mentioning the Firstborn, but she didn't seem to know or understand their true origins so he tried to give her as little information as possible. "Yes, in a manner of speaking. My family is a part of the Silvan…clan…within the Firstborn."

"So, the Firstborn are comprised of different clans?"

"Yes," he nodded reluctantly. "It's quite difficult to explain since every heritage dates back hundreds of centuries."

"Wow…that's a long time," she commented. "But, besides that, the book says that your clan was full of immortals and had all these unique skills and abilities."

If Bilbo Baggins was still alive, Legolas would have had him hung for putting so many details into his story about the Elves that wasn't supervised by one of the elders. "People lived differently back then. There was once a king in Gondor who lived to be 120-years-old before he passed. He was fit, strong and took on many battles before he perished from the World. A lot of magic was also involved in those times…both good and evil."

"That's a crazy notion…" Mina said aloud to herself.

"Why is that?"

"I just meant that everything you're telling me seems to be…true. At least, something in me believes you and I'm far too old to believe in Disney fairytale stories. Princes and princesses still exist to this day, but other things like monsters and dragons even magic…for someone who has never heard such things…it just seems so…so…"

"Farfetched?"

Mina paused her wild imaginations to stare at him. "Well, yes."

Legolas stood up, wiping the loose sand off his pants and hands. "Well…good thing you've heard such stories," he smirked at her.

"Where are you going?" she looked up at him.

"To leave you to your thoughts," he simply answered. "Enjoy your day, Lady Mina…"

Mina sat there dumbfounded yet again. Legolas answered most of her questions, but she still felt like pieces of information were missing and he didn't seem like he would tell her anything else. The rest was up to her to find out, although she wasn't sure on how to go about doing it. The only thing she had to rely on was her family's journal and this strange black book about the castle she found.

Legolas watched her for a moment at the top of the stairs leading back to the castle. Mina looked deep in thought about what they discussed. "I shouldn't have told you as much as I did," he said to the wind, "but I hope it helps you uncover what you must for the full moon is approaching. I hope you've found the rest of the answers you seek by then, my dear Mina…for all of our sakes…"

* * *

**Author's Note:** (insert suspense music here). I wonder what Legolas means by that? Do you do, too? Well, then. Stay tuned to find out! **Please review!**


	9. The Mysterious Girl

**CHAPTER 9: The Mysterious Girl**

"I still can't believe she took her own life…" Mina said to herself as she made her way back inside the castle. The story Legolas told her was confusing her with the story she heard from her father. Was it really the same ancestor, Willamina, in both stories or was it two different people? Elise's journal entries were more mindboggling as she knew they tied into this whole mystery somehow. "Could have it been another time period?" she wondered.

Mina also thought on the possibility that it was two different occurrences. But, then again, she didn't want to rule out the story her father knew could have been sugar coated with Willamina being tragically ill as the cause of her death. It was taboo in certain cultures to take your own life, but the way people lived in the medieval days with their honor, it couldn't have been such an unlikely thing for someone to do. But, still. It was a tragic fate for the princess.

The black book didn't give much more information that Legolas hadn't already told her when she tried to finish reading it. It basically confirmed what he said about the king mourning his daughter and dying while his kingdom burned. There was nothing interesting in her family's journals either since Elise had stop writing after she no longer heard from Lance. None of her other ancestors talked about any deaths in the family, which Mina thought was strange. The entries seemed to be written by older relatives, talking mostly about concerns for the kingdom, taxes and other things she had no interest in.

Looking around her room, Mina got up immediately and travelled around the hallways in search of whatever she could find. She had no idea what was she was doing, but it was better than doing nothing. "Princess!" Mina started whispering around the corridors. She sounded like an idiot calling out to the ghostly figure of a girl, but it was the only thing she could think of doing. The best places to look for the mysterious figure, she assumed, were around the darker hallways of the castle. She had a knack for appearing in dimly lit places and when Mina least likely expected her to show up.

"If you can hear me, please say something!" she whispered a little louder. Unaware of where she was travelling to, she came face-to-face again with the two double doors that were supposed to be locked. The last time she was here was during the masquerade ball. Mina cautiously stepped forward and reached for the doorknob.

"Lady Mina?"

Mina jumped back, holding her hand on her thumping chest. "Jeez! You scared me!" she breathed.

"My apologies," Gandalf bowed. "I did not mean to startle you, but I have been looking for you all morning."

"Why?"

"I was informed by Master Legolas that you wanted to accompany me to see how the roads were this morning. Were you still interested in going?"

"Oh, yes! Sorry, I forgot," she replied, a little embarrassed. "Let me just run and get my jacket."

"I will meet you outside," he said, letting Mina zip past him. He looked back at the double doors with concern and glanced around the hallway. "Do you really think she is ready?" he asked aloud, but no one responded.

"Sorry for sounding so rude earlier…" Mina apologized once they were on the horse drawn wagon headed to the main road.

"No need for apologies. I would have had my wits jump out of me if I were you, too," he smiled.

Mina smiled back with a small laugh. Gandalf seemed to be a nice man, always calm with soft features, and wasn't as intimidating as Legolas. She hasn't spoken to him much, mostly because she didn't know what to talk about. "So…how long have you worked for Sir Greenleaf?" she asked. It was weird calling Legolas by his first name around Gandalf since he knew him better than she did.

"Many, many years," he said. "I served his father before him."

"Does he have any relatives? The castle seems so big for only one royal person to be living in it."

Gandalf shook his head. "Legolas is an only child. The castle fell to his care after his mother and father passed. It used to be full of nobles and maidens. It was quite a lively place back then—a time when the prince didn't have so many worries upon his shoulders."

"What happened? I mean, where did everyone go?" The castle seemed so quiet and eerie that Mina couldn't really picture it filled with conversations and laughter all the time like at the masquerade ball.

The servant slightly frowned. "Even all good things must come to an end—as they say. Many of the people relocated during the war. After the land slowly started to prosper again, people were already settled into their new establishments and decided not to return."

"How did Sir Greenleaf take it?"

"He was a bit disappointed, but he understood, and did not hold any bitter resentment toward anyone. Those of us who chose to stay have been like his extended family. The Greenleaf family has great influence and power in these lands, and are also kind and generous to their subjects."

While he talked, Mina watched the village as they passed by. She smiled at the children playing who saw them and waved. She waved back with a friendly smile. "They're so cute."

"The villagers are very grateful to the prince. Without him, they would not have a home."

"What do you mean?" she turned her attention back to him.

"Legolas had this entire village built for them. Most of the people here were refugees from other nearby villages that were destroyed. They had nowhere to go so he gave them a new place to start over."

"Really?" she asked unbelievingly, and impressed at the same time.

"He's a good man," Gandalf smiled, with a hint of a wink. "The people here have also been like a family to him. He used to take frequently trips here and played with the children."

"Aww," she smiled. She wasn't aware he liked children and picturing him playing with them and taking the time to visit the people made her even more attracted him. And then, a sudden thought occurred to her. "Gandalf, how long ago was the war?"

He continued to look ahead as if trying to find the right words to say. "It was long ago..."

"So, how old _is _Sir Greenleaf? The village looks like it's been around for a while—maybe at least a couple of decades. I can't imagine him building this within only a few years."

Gandalf leaned in and smirked. "I didn't say the prince built it."

"Okay then, how old was he when it was built?" Mina rephrased her question.

"Younger than he is now," was the servant's reply.

Mina rolled her eyes, defeated. "Are you really not going to tell me his age? Is he in his 40's or something, is that why?"

"Not at all," he chuckled. "The prince is a very private person and such questions about his age or his preference in women should be something to save for your next conversation with him."

"I see," she said, blushing on the fact that he mentioned to ask him what kind of women he likes.

The rest of the journey was a quiet one as Mina sunk back into her thoughts watching the scenery. It wasn't raining but it was cold and dark as usual. The sun only peeked out from the clouds as they moved slowly toward the Water Castle. The sky didn't look very promising to her as she sighed silently. Her heart was still torn between leaving the castle and being back with the rest of their class and seeing her parents in Paris. All Mina wanted was the option to leave, but that wasn't available to her yet.

"Master Gandalf!" a man called out to him, waving.

Gandalf slowed the horse down and parked the wagon by a nearby tree. "Gustav, how is the roadwork going?" he asked after greeting him.

Gustav took off his fedora and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. "The rain did quite a lot of damage to this area. Some places are still flooded."

"How is the main bridge?"

"Not so promising," he shook his head. "The water levels are still pretty high. It's not even safe to walk across. We're trying to sand as many places as we can, but judging from the clouds, it's a sure bet that it will rain again tonight. We also only have so many resources at our disposal since we can't get into the main city."

"Understandable," Gandalf nodded.

"Do you have any idea when things might get better?" Mina suddenly spoke up. "My friends and I really need to get back into town."

"She was on a class trip and was unfortunately left behind with two friends," the servant explained to Gustav.

"We're also due to leave England in a few days," she added.

"It really is unfortunate that you're stranded here, but I'm sorry, Miss…there's not much else we can do. Mother nature is the one you need to speak to if you want to get out of this area."

"I understand," she replied solemnly. They said good-bye to Gustav and headed back to the Water Castle.

"I'm sorry we left with disappointing news," Gandalf said to her.

"It's okay…" she answered quietly. "It's no one's fault but my own that we're still here. I just wish Anastasia and Vincent didn't have to suffer."

"Oh, I don't think your friends mind too much. At least the three of you are together. Being here gives everyone a different experience and by the time you leave, you'll be filled with all sorts of stories and memories that only the three of you can say you shared. Sometimes experiences with only a handful of people are the ones that stick with us the most," he smiled.

Mina nodded, trying to look on the brighter side of things. "Yeah, I suppose you're right."

"Tomorrow is always a new day," he also tried to sound optimistic for her. "A full moon is also scheduled to appear two nights from now. It's a brilliant sight to see if you are able to witness it. You can see a hint of blue speckles in it if you look closely enough. Some say the water by the castle gives it that magic..."

By the time they got back, it was already past lunch. As Mina predicted, small droplets of rain began to form on the concrete ground again. She parted ways with Gandalf who went in the direction of the stables as she made her way inside. Mina knew her friends would be in the dinning hall having lunch, but since she wasn't feeling very hungry, she detoured back to the double doors.

Something always seemed to be interrupting her and she was determined this time to not let anything stand in her way. No one knew she was back at the castle so Mina decided to use this advantage to sneak over there. The hallway felt eerie like it usually did, but for some reason she had gotten used to it. Now standing face-to-face with the door, she hesitated. Something about the room made her heart beat faster. She took a deep breath and finally turned the knob. The door itself was stuck shut so she had to give it a hard push.

Legolas was where he usually was deep underneath the castle, until he felt something in his being that Mina had opened the door he was trying to keep her out of. He ran as fast as he could to try and stop her from entering. He had locked it for a reason and felt she wasn't ready to see its secrets. There were still too many things she didn't know. He was trying to avoid overwhelming Mina and wanted to slowly explain things to her to make her understand the situation.

But, Mina had already entered the dark room. The lights inside gave it a dim glow, only accenting certain parts of the walls. It was a fairly empty room except for a few tables and chairs displayed on the sides. There were numerous portraits on the walls that she saw, mostly of beautiful nobles and maidens. She assumed they were the people who used to live in the castle before the war. She firmly held onto Andrew's lighter he dropped during the scavenger hunt and was glad she forgot to give it back to him. She decided to bring it with her for extra light since the room began to darken the further in you were.

There was nothing in the room that seemed out of the ordinary so she didn't understand why the door was kept locked. It held nothing valuable as far as antiques or heirlooms that she didn't think anyone would want to steal. Bored with the fact that there was nothing really interesting to see, she started to leave. But, suddenly, a gust of wind blew at her from behind. Mina slowly turned around with goose bumps on her skin wondering where it came from since there were no windows in the room.

Taking a bold step, she continued down to the end of the room and saw more paintings on the wall, except they were covered with sheets. She carefully removed one of them and saw a regal portrait of Legolas with his crown, standing properly like a royal prince would. His features were also stern but his blue eyes were soft. There was always something about his eyes that intrigued her, eyes that seemed to have seen so much in his lifetime.

The next one she unraveled appeared to be his parents since they also had crowns on their heads. His mother was beautiful with kind eyes and his father was handsome like he was. She could see the resemblance in both parents. They were also blonde, tall and slim, people who could pass for models in their younger age. Walking down further, there were only two more portraits that were covered. Mina guessed they were more family pictures that he kept hidden so that he wasn't reminded of his losses.

Mina did the same thing with the next portrait, removing the sheet, when Legolas barged inside. "Mina! Don't!" he yelled in a panic, startling her. She jumped back as the covering slowly fell to the floor.

"Jeez! What is wrong with you?" she scolded him. "You almost gave me a heart attack!" She was annoyed at his sudden intrusion but couldn't help but notice the concerned and uneasy look he had as he stared at her. "What's the matter?"

Legolas didn't say a word and only glanced at the portrait hanging on the wall. Mina followed his gaze and lifted the candle higher so she could see the faces in the painting. Her body went numb and dropped the lighter in her hand. She stood there frozen, staring at the two faces as best as she could. They were hard to see without the extra light. Legolas slowly walked over to her, careful in his approach. "Mina…"

"Why…why does the girl sitting in the chair beside you look like me?" She was shocked and confused and didn't know what to make of it. It was also the first time she had ever really said his name.

"Please, Mina, let me explain," he tried to hold her hands.

"Don't touch me!" she backed away, putting her hands up in defense mode. There was one more covered portrait that hadn't yet been revealed. She walked to it, holding the sheet in her hand, ready to pull on it.

"Mina…" Legolas's eyes were begging for her to stop.

She gave him a hard look and pulled with all her might. The sheet flew behind her, showing her a portrait of the same girl that looked like her. Mina picked up the lighter she dropped and examined the painting. She was dressed in a beautiful gown with long flowing dark brown hair, curled and braided around her head. There was a slight smile on her lips with the same clear blue eyes like hers. "That necklace…I know that necklace…" she stared at the purple sapphire that she was wearing. "I inherited it from my grandfather after he passed. My dad said it was an old Mendenhalle family jewel that had been passed down for decades."

"She was the original bearer of the jewel," he quietly told her. "I presented it to her on her eighteenth birthday…"

"What are you talking about?" she gave him a bewildered look. Mina stared at the portrait again, shining the light from top to bottom and noticed there was a small plaque at the bottom of the frame. She moved closer to it so she could read the name engraved. "Willamina E. Mendenhalle…" she said aloud. "But, my middle initial is J…" she started shaking her head. "Willamina E…Willamina E…" she kept repeating, while Legolas stayed quiet. And then, it hit her. "Willamina…Elise…Mendenhalle!"

"Yes. She went by Elise," he finally confirmed.

"We have different middle names because my mother liked the name Juliet," she said, finally understanding the variation in initials. "But, wait—if this is Elise then the prince she fell in love with was…_you_? You're _Lance_?" she couldn't believe the information that was unfolding before her. "How is that possible? You'd have to be like…"

"2,395-years-old…" he replied.

Mina dropped the lighter for the second time. "No," she shook her head again, "this can't be true. That girl…that girl I've been seeing around the castle, you're telling me is my ancestor Elise who killed herself over you?" she asked, still having a hard time digesting the words.

"Yes," Legolas answered with pain in his eyes like before.

"This is crazy," she started frantically pacing the room. "No, this…this isn't real. I'm dreaming. I know I am…"

"Please let me explain," he said again. Mina tried to leave to get her nerves together before she fell apart at the seams when he tried to stop her. She forcefully took her arm back from him and ran out the door. Legolas stood there, kicking a chair nearby in his frustrated state. "Dammit!" he yelled at himself. He stared at Elise's portrait with an even bigger burden in his heart and walked out, leaving the door wide open.

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**Author's Note:** And the mystery girl has finally been revealed! I also just picked a random age for Legolas. Who knows how old he would be now lol. More details to come. Stay tuned. Don't forget to **review!**


	10. The Truth

**Author's Note: **Thank you for your reviews, questions, suggestions, and the likes.

* * *

**CHAPTER 10: The Truth **

There were so many things swimming in her head that she started to feel dizzy. Mina ran straight to her room and locked it, collapsing on her bed. She cried into her pillow even though she didn't understand why she was crying. She was so angry with Legolas for keeping the secret of Elise from her that she mentally kept picturing punching him in the nose.

Then, a sudden noise behind one of the walls made her look up. It sounded like something was tapping against it. "Who's…who's there?" she asked with a shaky voice. A portion of the wall creaked open, revealing a secret passageway that she wasn't aware of. Not knowing what was going to come out, she scooted her body against the headboard of the bed, gripping the blanket tightly up to her chin. Mina was ready to scream when Legolas stepped out of the secret door. "What the hell are you doing here?" she exclaimed, getting out of the bed and stomping toward him. "You need to leave. Right now!"

"I know this is a very unethical thing to do, but please, let me explain everything," he said, trying to calm her down.

"You scare me half to death for a second time sneaking into my room when I'm clearly upset at you and you expect me to listen to you right now?" she spat at him. "And what the hell is _that _about?" she motioned to the opening in the wall.

"The castle has over a hundred secret passageways…and I happen to know all of them," he told her. "It was the only thing I could think of to get you to talk to me since I knew you would lock your door."

"Well, obviously locking my door meant something," she glared at him.

"I know you're upset, Mina, and you have every right to hate me. But, you not allowing me to explain will only frustrate you even more because I know you want to know the truth about Elise's journal, your name sake, and…the curse on this castle."

The curse he mentioned caught her interest, but she still remained stubborn about listening to him. Her head already felt like it was going to explode. "If you don't leave my room, I'll scream," she threatened. "Anastasia and Vincent are right next door to me."

Legolas sighed and sat on her bed, which she couldn't believe he thought she would be okay with. He was also acting too cool and calm for her liking. "Scream all you want, Lady Mina, but they will not hear you."

"What you are talking about? What did you do to them?" she started to worry.

"They're fine. I placed them under a deep sleep that can only be undone with my magic."

"Magic?" she looked at him with a confused and skeptical expression. "You're joking…right?"

"No, I'm not, Mina," he stood up and snapped his fingers, the lights turning off in the bedroom. He snapped his fingers again, the candles lighting in their place. Mina stood back behind one of the bedposts looking frightened. "I'm not here to hurt you, Mina. I would never do such a thing," he said softly. "If you ever trusted me before, even for just a brief moment, please trust me now."

"What…are you?" she asked, searching his eyes.

He moved away from her and sat at the desk chair to give her some space. She slowly made her way back on the bed and sat there with a pillow on her lap. "I am not from this world. I come from a far off land called Middle-earth, where wizards, dragons, dwarves, and small child-like folk called Hobbits exists. Every fabled story or creature you've heard growing up are real in my world. I, myself, am not human."

"You look human…" she glanced at him briefly.

"My race has similar outward features to yours with identical anatomies, except for our abilities," he replied. "I gather you finished reading the Wood of Greenleaves?"

"Yeah, I did. So…you mean to say that the book was about you and your people?"

"Well, in some parts, yes. Our abilities listed in the book are based on facts. Some of us were also taught how to use magic by wizards we call Istari. Gandalf is a part of that Order."

"I am so confused…" she sighed, slumming herself down on the bed. "What does any of this have to do with me?"

"I know it's a lot to process, that's why I didn't want you finding that room. I wanted to gradually explain everything to you piece by piece so that you could fully understand the past."

Mina sat up. "Did you have anything to do with us being stranded here?" she gave him a suspicious look.

"No, of course not. You gave me quite a scare when you went into the water. I was also very surprised to see you when you first arrived. I didn't think I would ever see you…"

"I don't understand? You knew I was coming on this trip?"

"Not exactly," he shook his head. "I suppose I should start from the very beginning."

"Yeah, maybe you should," she folded her arms, wanting to know the truth.

"I come from a world called Arda; my race is called the Firstborn. We are also known as Elves or Ilúvatar's Children. Many also know our creator as Eru. He and the Ainur, our gods, live in a different realm within our world called Aman. When we first came into being war broke out in their lands and eventually the Firstborn relocated to Middle-earth, the mortal lands of Arda."

"Wait…you said Elves?" she gave him a weird look. "You're an…Elf? So that part in the book is also true?" The rest of what he said was hard to wrap her head around.

"Yes. My race is not like the fictional characters in children's stories. As I have mentioned we are the same in outward appearance, but my race has a more slender figure and our senses are more heightened than yours are. We are also very skilled warriors and craftsmen."

"What did you mean by Middle-earth being the mortal lands of Arda?"

"Our gods and immortal beings live in Aman, which is a blessed realm. Only the immortals or those given a special grace are permitted to enter. Mortal beings, like the Afterborn, or _the race of Men_, are not allowed on their shores. As they circle the sea, they are brought right back to their beginning destination. But, for an immortal, a different pathway is opened, giving them access to Aman."

"So, you're an immortal then…" she said quietly. "Being a Firstborn was the secret to your family's immortality so you couldn't really grant it to others."

"That is correct."

"How did you meet Elise?"

Legolas smiled a little. "This is where the real story begins. Your father's family comes from a long line of great leaders, starting with Aragorn Elessar, king of the Reunited Kingdom of the Dúnedain. His wife, Arwen Evenstar, herself was a peredhil."

"A what?" she gave him another weird look.

"A peredhil is someone who is half mortal, half immortal; in other words, half human and half elf. A peredhil is immortal but can choose to give up that life for a mortal one, which is what Arwen decided in order to be with the one she loved. She and Aragorn had one son and three daughters. It is from their youngest daughter that your ancestors' surname, Mendenhalle, flourished after she married a prince from another kingdom and provided him with a male heir."

"Does that mean I'm some sort of peredhil, too?" Mina wondered.

"Because your generational line is mostly full of mortals, the elven blood in your family has dissipated. And so, Elise was mortal when I met her."

"How did you meet exactly?"

"I have known your family for a very long time. I was very close with Elessar, ever since we fought in the first wars of Middle-earth together. Elise, I had known since she was born and watched her blossom into a young, beautiful lady," he stared at Mina again.

"And then you fell in love with each other..." she averted her eyes away.

"We did, but we knew we couldn't be together right away. There was still too much turmoil within Mirkwood and Gondor for us to enjoy each other's company. When things had finally died down, I spoke to her father about relocating our kingdoms to your world to gain some peace in our lands. He agreed, and with the help of the Istari's magic, we recreated both castles here."

Mina scooted to the edge of the bed, letting her legs dangle over the sides with the pillow still on her lap. "I thought you were still in the middle of a war when she…died?"

"My real kingdom in Middle-earth is located underground in Northern Mirkwood so my stronghold is difficult to penetrate. Mirkwood itself is a dangerous place, full of foul creatures and lingering evil in certain parts of the forest. The land here was prosperous and green and we did not have to worry about battles and wars as much, so our defenses weren't as well built. Then one day, our enemies found a way to your world and tried to take over the Water Castle. I used all the magical strength I had to put a protective barrier around Mendenhalle castle to keep Elise safe. However, the war dragged on and my magic slowly began to wane. An enemy disguised as one of my warriors delivered a fake message of my death to the king and almost succeed in killing him on his throne. Elise caught wind of the information and couldn't bear the news…so she took her own life."

"But, I thought you were an immortal? Why would she believe you were dead?"

"The Firstborn are an immortal race. However, we can perish from the World by being slain in battle or by grieving over a loss. Our beings are reincarnated into the Halls of Mandos where we live out the rest of our days, and some, return to the blessed realm and are no longer permitted back into the Outer Lands."

"How did _you _take the news of her death?"

"Not well," he sadly half-smiled. "She was my everything. I had never known pain until I lost her. I was sick for a very long time, almost withering away from sorrow. She was the youngest of three and her father's favorite. He also had a hard time dealing with her passing and because I could no longer protect their kingdom, our mutual enemies took advantage of his weakened state and attacked. I tried to send as many warriors as I could, but the king refused my aid. I could not go myself, as I was still not strong enough to help. They tried to evacuate as many people as they could but still, many innocent lives were lost that day," he frowned.

"I didn't really understand before how much you had to go through," Mina almost wanted to cry. The events that took place couldn't have been easy for anyone. Not only was one life affected but an entire kingdom destroyed. "I'm so sorry, Legolas…"

"Thank you," he tried to smile more genuinely. "It's been many decades since that incident and I have an easier time dealing with it these days, although it's still not a pleasant memory. Elise loved to visit the Water Castle and could always be found on the beach staring at the sea during the sunsets. I would watch her from afar, admiring her. She would tilt her head back, close her eyes and smile, as the wind blew in her hair," he smiled again, picturing her in his head. "She loved the sea…"

"That's why I kept dreaming about it. It wasn't me in the dream…it was her and her memories of this place…and of you," Mina replied thoughtfully. "But, what I don't get is your name? In her journal entries, she referred to you as Lance?"

The prince chuckled at the name. "Lance is a nickname she had for me. Legolas was too hard for her to pronounce when she was first learning how to speak and it always came out sound like _Lance_. The name was easier for her to say so I just let her call me that ever since then."

"Oh, I see," she nodded. The holes in the pieces of information she was looking for were finally starting to come together. "But, what you still haven't told me is what this has to do with me and the curse on this castle."

He sat forward, letting his elbows rest on his knees as he clasped his hands. He appeared to be thinking of what to say. Mina could tell it was going to be a difficult answer. "I promised Elise that I would wait for her return. We believed that neither life nor death could keep us apart. Because of this promise, I am not allowed to leave this land until I can physically touch her again. Her spirit wanders the halls every few decades but only appearing in moments. She has been around the castle more frequently since you arrived. Those who have decided to serve me since that day are also tied to the castle and cannot return to Middle-earth until we are together again."

"I was told the prince was willing to give up his immortality to be with her. Are _you_ a peredhil then?"

"No, I am not. It's more difficult for those who are full-blooded Elves to give up their immortality. The process is far more…complicated."

"How complicated?" she was curious to know. "Might as well tell me after everything else I already know."

Legolas was quiet for a long time, hesitating to tell her. "I would have to kill her…" he answered quietly.

"What?" Mina's eyes widened with shock. "Are you crazy?"

"In order for an immortal to become a mortal, they must kill the one they love with a special Elven knife. If the mortal truly loves them in return, the immortal's life force will bring them back to life," he explained.

Mina relaxed her position. "So…you mean you'd be sacrificing your immortality to revive her?"

"Yes. Once life returned to her, I would lose the grace Eru has given me."

"But you and Elise wouldn't have had any problems. You clearly both loved each other."

"We did, but as you can see…that is no longer an option," he reminded her.

Mina nodded at the predicament, "Because she took her own life…"

"Exactly."

"So, what does she want with _me_?"

"Elise declared that she would come back in the same physical form in a different lifetime. It would be up to her reincarnation to reunite us together again. You were never told, but your grandfather dreamt of your birth. He discreetly implanted the suggestion to your father to name you Willamina because he knew you would be the one. You are right around the same age as her when she died."

"And how am I supposed to reunite the two of you?" she shrugged. "Am I supposed to revive her from the dead or something? She's not going to take over my body is she?" Mina began feeling nervous. She wasn't keen on having her ancestor taking her over.

"No," he smiled at her assumptions. "Once we are reunited, I would join her in the afterlife…as a mortal."

"But, I don't get it? What am I supposed to do?"

Legolas stood up and walked over to the bed, which surprised her. "Two days from now a full moon will rise. It is predicted that when she returns in her reincarnated form and a full moon is in the sky, she—_you_—will break the curse."

"Okay, I get it, her reincarnated form is _me,_ but I don't know what to do!" she threw her hands in the air. "It's not everyday someone tells me I look just like a past relative that's turned into a ghost, waiting for me reunite her with her lover," she said sarcastically.

"Don't worry about it now. There's still time before then," he gently squeezed her hands. "Get some rest. You've had an eventful day." He smiled at her again and proceeded to leave.

"Wait, where are you going?" she asked.

"Where I always go," he smiled secretively. "I know you will end up finding me later." He unlocked her door and left, leaving the secret door still opened. Mina sighed not really knowing what to do next. She finally got up and closed the door in the wall. The lining was hidden well within the paintings and was difficult to see so she never noticed it. It made her wonder if he ever snuck in her room at night while she was sleeping.

A yawn finally caught her off guard and soon felt sleepy. "This better not be your doing, Legolas," she said to him as if he was still in the room, yawning again. She rolled her eyes thinking he put a spell on her like he did with her friends since he told her to get some rest. She didn't have a clue on what he meant about finding him later, but that wasn't a concern of hers at the moment. All she wanted to do was sleep. Mina crawled into bed and fell into a deep slumber within a matter of minutes. The tapping of the rain against the window slowly faded into the background.

She dreamt that she was sitting by the shore again. The air was crisp but the sun shining down was warm on her exposed hands and feet. She let her fingers comb the sand around her as she stared at the sea, the conversation with Legolas flashing through her mind. It was such an unbelievable story, but she found herself calmer than she thought she would be. Her grandfather loved to tell her ancient stories and she would fall asleep to the sound of his voice. This entire scenario felt just like one of his stories. A part of her was hoping that this was all just a dream and she was going to wake up and find herself back in her dorm room.

However, deep inside her heart she knew it wasn't. Mina knew she had to help Legolas and Elise somehow, but finding the way was still a mystery to her. Even Legolas didn't seem to know. They had a beautiful story, the way they loved each other, but she couldn't help but feel a little jealous of her ancestor. Mina had never experienced any sort of deep love or strong emotions for anyone and wondered what it felt like.

She sadly laughed at herself for wishing that Legolas had fancied her in that way, but she knew his love was faithful to Elise. She would never dream of taking her ancestor's beloved away, especially when she knew she didn't have a chance of being with someone whose heart belonged to another. Mina kept telling herself that Elise's words of Legolas loving her was only due to the fact that they looked alike. She was convinced the way he looked at her was because she reminded him of Elise. The thought put another sad imprint on her heart.

The sun was finally beginning to set over the horizon as she watched the sky turn different shades of reds, yellows, and oranges. It was a calming moment for her as the wind gently started to pick up. She now understood why Elise loved going to the beach to experience this moment. Amongst all the chaos going on around her, it brought some clarity and peace in her.

"Mina…" a soft hand graced her shoulder.

She quickly turned around and saw someone with a smile, sitting down next to her on the sand. It was like looking at her own reflection except her hair was a shade lighter. "Elise?"

"Beautiful isn't it?" she commented on the sky. "I love coming here."

"So, it was you all along? The girl I kept seeing in the hallway?" Mina waited for her to answer.

Elise smiled at her. "I couldn't reveal myself to you until I knew you were ready. As you can see, my appearance would be quite a shock," she made a reference to their similar features.

"I don't know how to get you and Legolas together," Mina frowned. "I know you two have been waiting for decades to be reunited, but how am I supposed to do that?"

"Dearest Mina," Elise took her hands into hers, "do not think so much. When the time comes, you will know what do to."

"The full moon is in two days. What if I freak out and not do what I'm supposed to do and you and Legolas end up not having another chance? That's a lot of pressure…"

"You are handling this very well. And I believe in you, Mina. Trust your heart, not your mind. The truth always lies within us and it is in those uncertain moments when we find our way."

Mina sighed. "But, let's say that I'm not able to do it. Then what? What becomes of you and Legolas?"

Elise disguised her concerns with another smile. "Then Legolas will have to wait another century or so until I am reincarnated again."

"So, you still have another chance if I fail?" she looked optimistic.

However, the look in Elise's features weren't so promising. "It is not guaranteed…"

"I don't understand?"

"The Mendenhalle name is slowly dying with fewer males to carry on the name. Your father, Elton, is the last male Mendenhalle to be born. You being his only daughter, the name will either stay with you and your children or fade into history," she explained.

"You mean if I keep or change my last name when I get married and if my future children's last name is Mendenhalle, or rather, Mendinhale?"

"That is correct."

"That's easy then," Mina smiled. "I can easily keep my last name and pass it on to my children. It's the modern age where the female doesn't necessary need to take on her husband's name."

"It's a great thought," Elise nodded, "but, the bloodline is stronger with male heirs who are born to carry on the generational name."

"Oh…" she frowned. "So, even if my children are named Mendinhale, there's no guarantee that you will be reborn again since technically, I'm supposed to carry on a new name."

Elise nodded again. "But, don't let that thought burden you. You're a smart young woman. I know you will figure it out."

"You really loved him, didn't you?" Mina replied quietly.

"I still do," she softly smiled. "Once we are reunited, I can rest peacefully with him at my side."

"It's like a perfect…story."

"Lance, I mean, Legolas," Elise chuckled, "is a wonderful gentleman. I am very grateful for everything he has done to try and protect me and my father's kingdom. When I thought he was dead, I couldn't live knowing that he had perished from this world without me. I thought death was the only way, but how wrong I was. I should have continued to live for him." She then turned to Mina with saddened eyes. "A thousand apologies to you and Legolas. If I wasn't so selfish in my desires, neither one of you would be in this predicament."

"There's nothing to apologize for," Mina half-smiled. "You did what you thought was best because you loved him. If Legolas didn't love you as much he does, he wouldn't have made the promise he did, which he has kept to this very day. He still loves you…"

Elise grinned a secret smile. "He has been waiting many, many years now to fulfill his promise. I see new hope and life in his eyes…ever since he saw you."

Mina blushed. "It's because I remind him of you."

"Perhaps," she shrugged. "Or perhaps it is _you_ he sees."

"I don't understand what you mean?" Mina kept her eyes on the sand, picking up small pebbles while she talked.

Elise got up and dusted the sand off her dress, a hint of a smile still on her lips. "What I said before is true. We may look the same, my dear niece, but Legolas can easily tell us apart. The heart is a wondrous thing, Mina. It can hold so many promises, emotions, and has an infinite space for love. Enjoy the enchantment of the Water Castle. Don't be afraid to let yourself go." She kissed her on the forehead. "This will be our last encounter until the full moon…"

"But, I—" Mina tried to say something, but Elise was gone in an instant. It was also in that moment she woke up from the vivid dream. She sat up and stared into the darkness. The rain had stopped with the half moon shining brightly in her room. "Why did I have to feel this way…" she whispered to herself. Mina got out of bed and went to go look for Legolas in the middle of the night.

* * *

**Author's Note: **For those of you with questions, yes, I altered some things as far as Elves learning magic and how they can become mortals without being a peredhil. I can do that since it's my story. (wink). I'm guessing there will only be a couple of more chapters left until end.

**Please review!**


	11. Wonders of the Water Castle

**CHAPTER 11: Wonders of the Water Castle**

"Legolas, where are you?" Mina sighed with her hands on her hips. She couldn't fall back asleep so she became determined to find the prince. He _did _say she would find him later, but never told her how she would go about doing so. "Does he really expect me to search every room in this castle?" she rolled her eyes. She kept turning around in circles, frustrated. "If I were a prince…where would I be?"

Mina went back to the room full of paintings but he wasn't there. She noticed the portraits with Elise in them were no longer covered. Even the white sheets were nowhere to be found. She smiled a little knowing Legolas was finally comfortable remembering her as she was. However, she still had the dilemma of finding him. From their last conversation, she remembered Legolas saying how the castle had over a hundred secret passageways so she made a dash back to her room. She turned on all the bedroom lights and walked over to the secret door in the wall. There wasn't any sort of visible doorknob and pushing it open with her all might did nothing either. Destroying the wall was an option, but she knew she couldn't do that. People might think she had gone mad after seeing the hole in her bedroom.

She sighed again, plopping herself down on the love seat facing the wall. There had to be some way of getting to the other side. Mina searched around the wall and the surrounding furniture in case there was a secret handle somewhere. She felt around the candleholders above her and pulled on one of them, and it actually moved. She smiled and pulled harder, the secret door finally opening. "Yes!" she exclaimed and entered, closing it behind her.

It wasn't like she imaged the castle's secret room to be. It was a long narrow corridor with arched ceilings and white granite walls that were cracked and pealing. It seemed sturdy enough, but she couldn't resist imagining a cave-in with her buried alive. She shook the disturbing image away and walked more swiftly. There were also so many twists and turns, that she took her best guess, not knowing where it would lead her. Luckily, she took one of the lanterns from her room with her into the dark area.

Listening carefully to the sounds around her, Mina could hear water trickling from the ceiling. A drop fell on her head as she looked up. The stoned walkway beneath her feet was wet with watermarks. "Where is this water coming from?" she wondered curiously. Now standing in front of her were two hallways. The left one had the same design as the previous corridors she had passed and it looked like the safer route to take. It was also lit better compared to the other one. The right corridor was full of tiny puddles from the leaking water in the ceiling. The arched hallway also appeared to be older, probably due to water damage. The path itself looked sketchier and it didn't sit well with her nerves.

But, Mina took a deep breath and aside from her better judgment, she took a right turn. She secretly prayed that Elise or some higher form would protect her since she didn't want to die here, especially since no one knew where she was. "Legolas…where are you?" she whispered again. The sound of water flowing got louder the further down she travelled. There was light around the corner, giving her some relief, thinking it would open to a main room. Happily turning the corner, she abruptly stopped and gazed at the cave before her. The walls were full of jagged rocks, even the area around her, except for the stairs leading to the bottom of the small waterfall. There were also tiny pools around the cold area. She walked slowly down the sketchy steps, hoping she didn't meet her doom there.

"Relieve the third patrol but be sure to cover the western border. I have gotten reports of the silverback boars digging in the area," Mina heard a familiar voice say. She wondered who he was talking to.

"Yes, sire, right away," another voice replied.

She peaked around a boulder and saw Legolas standing over what she could only describe as some kind of small birdbath with his hands on either side of it, talking into the water. There was a reflection in the water that didn't seem like the prince's. He waved his hand over it and the image changed into a forest. He sighed as he stared at the new reflection.

"Legolas…?" Mina slowly stepped out of her hiding place.

"Mina!" he turned around surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"I couldn't sleep," she replied, sounding a little guilty for wandering around looking for him. "Besides, you already predicted that I would find you," she blushed.

That put a smile on his face. "And so you did."

"What _is_ this place?" she looked around the massive structure. "For a place this huge, I had a hell of a time finding it…"

Legolas chuckled that she actually found his secret place in the castle. It was true that it wasn't an easy area to get to, but there were simpler ways to get here than the one Mina took. "This is where I do most of my princely duties. This special basin helps me communicate with my kingdom in Mirkwood since I cannot be there physically to give orders. My lieutenant is currently in charge of my affairs."

"I bet they miss having you around," she replied.

"It was difficult at first, but they have managed just fine without me," he smiled.

"Would returning still be a possibility for you?"

"No…not for me. I have already named my lieutenant as my successor and for Gandalf to oversee the Water Castle if things go the way we hope they would."

"Elise told me in a dream that she might not be reborn if I fail to bring you together," Mina looked disappointingly at him.

He nodded solemnly. "Yes, there is that possibility. But, I find that it shouldn't be something to dwell on." He slowly took a step closer to her. "Please don't feel obligated in anyway to do this. All we really ask of you is that you try. If it doesn't work, we will still be very grateful to you."

His words made her feel lower than she already did. They weren't expecting her to give them a miracle, but because they felt that way, it made her feel even more obligated to succeed, even with all the pressure on her shoulders. "I have to do it, Legolas. I feel like if I don't…I'll regret it for the rest of my life."

"Don't feel that way, Mina," Legolas took her hands into his. Normally she would back away or be shocked by his touch, but she needed him to comfort her so she didn't move. "There is nothing you should regret," he lifted her chin so that their eyes could meet. "It's a lot to ask for."

Tears suddenly fell from her cheeks. The numbness she felt about the entire situation and the event due to take place finally wore off. "I just…I just don't want to let you down," she quietly sobbed. "You both love each other _so_ much and you waiting for her after all this time is…admirable." She then stepped away and turned her back to him. "You're such a wonderful…being…and reading about you in Elise's journal was only a glimpse of that compared to witnessing your kindness and generosity firsthand. I can see why she holds you so close to her heart…"

"Mina…" Legolas gently placed his hands on her shoulders. She allowed him to turn her around to reface him. He caressed her cheeks, studying her features. "You are just as beautiful as Elise…"

"But, I'm not her," she looked away, silent tears still falling into his hands.

He wiped them away and smiled. "I know you're not, my dear Mina. I have never compared you to her. You are the same in appearance yet you two are very different people. I have enjoyed every conversation, every laughter, every smile, and even every tear with _you_…Mina Mendinhale. No one could ever take those feelings or moments away."

"I wish things were different…" she whispered.

"I do, too," he wiped away the last remnants of her tears. "But, if they were, I might not have gotten the chance to meet you…" he smiled more warmly at her. "I love you for different reasons, Mina."

"You what?" the words barely registered in her ears.

"Hasn't it been obvious?" he smirked at her confused expression.

"But, you love…Elise?"

"And in my heart I always will. That part of me so many years ago will always remain faithful and true to her. My eternal being belongs to her…"

"Then how could you love me? That doesn't make sense," Mina shook her head, not wanting to believe his feelings for her. How could he love them both?

"Time changes us all, even our hearts," Legolas gently pulled her back into his arms. "Just because you love someone doesn't mean you cannot make room to love others in your life. Even Elise knows this. If I could be with _you,_ Mina, I would vow to make you happy for as long as you will let me. However, I am bound to Elise by a promise I made…a promise I cannot break."

"Of course I understand that," she lightly scoffed. "And I know there's nothing I can do about it. Your love for each other has withstood the test of time and it would be selfish of me to get in the way—not when you're so close to being with each other again."

Legolas couldn't help but embrace her. "You have a very big heart," he whispered into her ear. "Thank you."

"I just hope I can give you both what you want…" she half-smiled.

"I wish I could give _you_ what _you_ want," he answered back, looking deeply into her eyes. She saw desire for her in his blue pools, but she turned away.

"There's still about a day left, isn't there?" she tried to sound happier, wanting to change the mood between them. "It's practically dawn, I'm guessing."

"Don't worry about your friends, they should be awake shortly, feeling refreshed," he told her. "But, while the castle is still asleep, would you like to see what the real Mirkwood looks like?"

"How?" she asked. He had her look into the magical basin and showed her his kingdom. "Wow, your castle there is…amazing."

It was in an underground mountain with a wide opening at the top and light from the outside shining down upon it. The shape of the mountain reminded her of a volcano with a narrow opening at the top. His kingdom looked huge in the watery image. There was a small village at the bottom with a river running though it, separating it from the castle. The village looked so feeble compared to the grand structure, ant-like almost. High above to the west was a bridge that the villagers could use in order to get to main gates.

Along the rocky edges of the castle also stood more dwelling houses, built outside against the tall castle walls. Each stoned pillar was like a patrol tower with gold and green banners running down the sides. Inside the castle walls, the kingdom itself seemed to be comprised of four different stories, each one holding a city in it until you reached the top where the royal dwelling place of the prince stood.

"It took my father many decades to build our fortress. It is something I hold very dear to me."

"I'm really sorry that you can't return home," she tried to sympathize.

"I have not been back in a very long time. I trust it will remain in good hands as it has been for over two centuries," he smiled, assuring her. "Besides, I now consider the Water Castle as my home."

"Legolas…where did you get this?" she pointed to the basin. "Is it something you brought over with you?"

"It was a gift from Galadriel. She often used this basin to show people their past, present, and future. She was considered a very beautiful and powerful Elf. But, she has since returned to the blessed realm. Its magic now only allows me to see into Mirkwood to give commands and weigh in on council meetings as needed. This is where I spend most of my time."

Mina smiled. "We always wondered where you disappeared to."

"Well, now you know," he smiled back. "Have you decided what to tell your friends?"

"It's too difficult to explain," she shook her head somberly. "I'd rather not get them involved if possible."

Legolas understood. "Very well. When the time comes, I will put them under a spell again so they remain uninvolved when the full moon arrives."

"Thanks…" she answered with a sigh. Her new dilemma now was how she was going to explain not wanting to continue pursuing the mystery of the book and her ancestors' journal entries.

"Mina?"

"Huh?"

"I asked if you were hungry?" he was waiting for a response.

"Oh…well, yeah. I guess so?"

"Let's go get some breakfast, shall we?" he smiled, grabbing her hand. He led them out of the cave and into one of the warmer hallways.

"How did I miss this entrance?" she looked back at the wall they came out of.

"They're meant to be hidden," he reminded her, smirking. "Your eyes also can't see them as clearly as mine."

"I suppose you're right…"

He suddenly stopped and turned to face her. "Now, you have two options. We can either wait for Vincent and Anastasia to wake up, which should be in a few minutes, and have breakfast with them in the main dinning hall, _or_, we can have breakfast outside on the patio…just the two of us."

Mina blushed at his proposal. "Breakfast on the patio sounds…nice," she answered shyly.

"Then, the patio it is," Legolas smiled once more, taking her hand again. Mina always thought he had a handsome smile with a slight dimple in his cheeks. "I'll have the servants serve your friends when they are ready."

By the time they arrived outside, there were already servants waiting for the two of them. "How did they know…did you…" she turned to him for an answer.

"I can't go around telling you _all_ of my secrets," he winked. "Please, sit down."

She did as he requested, trying to hide the smile on her lips. Prince Legolas was quite a charmer, she'll give him that. The servants served them breakfast and left after all the food was placed on the table. The clouds parted a bit this morning and since there was no breeze, it wasn't as cold as it normally was. "The weather seems to be looking better," she commented.

"So it appears," he looked up. "If you are able to leave today…"

"Gandalf can take Anastasia and Vincent back…I'll stay," she was quick to reply.

"I'm not forcing you to stay, Mina."

"I know," she slightly nodded, taking a bite of her strawberry. "I want to."

He smiled at her answer as they continued to eat in silence. Legolas wanted to tell her how to break the curse, but she already seemed to have so much on her mind that he didn't want to overwhelm her any more than she already was. Mina was full of strength and courage, even if she didn't believe in herself. He knew once everything was fully revealed she would find the inner spirit she was looking for.

The prince was also honest with her when he said she and Elise were very different. Elise was more on the shy, timid side, very innocent and loving. However, she stood bravely for those she cared for and when she saw injustice being done. She would have made a great queen if she was able to live long enough to live that life. Mina, on the other hand, also had her ways of being shy and timid, but she was bolder and more outgoing than Elise. She was opinionated, demanding, and was quick to speak her mind when she was angry, which Legolas actually liked about her. He already knew Mina had a loving heart and was capable of giving more than one deserved.

Legolas also never knew loving two people were possible until he met her. His love for Elise was still strong, but a new opening in his heart had secured Mina in place. He was saddened that they had to soon part. If only they could spend more time together, he would be content, making Mina feel special and loved; the way she deserved to be treated. Loving someone where he was from was easy. If you had feelings for someone, a courtship would ensue. But, in the modern age, there were too many mixed signals, miscommunications, and the runaround. He didn't understand why it became such a challenge for mortals to admit how they felt for each other.

"I guess I spoke too soon," Mina opened her palm to the sky. Legolas broke out of his thoughts to see what she was doing. The clouds were returning, droplets making dots on the wooden table. "Don't you ever get sunshine around here?"

"We usually have beautiful weather," he started to get up, "just not this time of year. Come. We should hurry inside."

"But, I wasn't done eating breakfast," she frowned at all the wonderful pastries she didn't get to try.

"Nanette, can you please bring these inside?" he asked one of the servants.

"Of course, sire," she bowed, putting the plates back on the tray with another servant's help.

They ran inside, wiping some of the rain off their clothes. "Are you…busy today?" Mina suddenly asked.

"Why do you ask?" he looked curious with a smile.

"I kind of wanted to…spend more time with you," her face turned a shade of pink. "You'll finally be with Elise tomorrow night during the full moon, and I'll probably never see you again so…I was wondering if you would just…hang out with us today?"

"Us?" he raised an eyebrow.

Mina straightened her posture. "Yes. Me, Anastasia, and Vincent…I mean. I'm sure they'd like your company as well," she cleared her throat. Mina didn't want to sound desperate in getting Legolas alone. Her friends would also be wondering where she was, so doing something together as a group seemed like the safest thing to suggest.

"I would love to spend the day with you," he smiled, amused. "With you _and_ your friends, I mean."

She nodded, feeling a little bit of an idiot for being so obvious about what she really wanted. He kept the boyish grin on his face, which didn't help reduce the bright color on her face as they headed to the dinning hall. "Wait…" she suddenly stopped.

"What is it? Is something the matter?"

"I just thought of something. Once you're back with Elise and you disappear from this world, what am I supposed to tell Anastasia and Vincent? I can't just tell them that you've been reunited with a great aunt of mine who's been haunting this castle because of a promise you made." Mina was showing signs of stress again, the new dilemma adding to her list of worries.

"Mina…" Legolas cupped her face and gently kissed her cheek, "you worry too much." His action made her turn crimson. "You don't need any sort of elaborate explanation. You can say I had an emergency business trip with details unknown to you. By then the roads should be clear so it's a very plausible story."

"Okay…" she replied quietly.

He gave her one last smile and took her hand. "Your friends are looking for you. We should hurry."

By the time they entered the dinning hall, her friends were just getting up. "There you are!" Anastasia exclaimed. "I went into your room this morning but you were already gone. We thought maybe you were outside again, but it's raining. Now I see you were with company," she smirked.

"Good morning," Legolas bowed his head to them. "Did you sleep well?" Mina inwardly rolled her eyes at his question. "It was raining pretty hard last night."

"Actually, I slept like a baby," Vincent replied. "I haven't felt this refreshed in a long time. I feel full of energy today."

"Yeah, strangely enough…so do I," Anastasia shrugged.

"That is good to hear," he smiled as if he didn't have anything to do with it, but Mina knew better.

"Well, since it looks like we're still unable to leave today, what did you guys want to do?" Mina asked her friends. She also looked toward Legolas for suggestions.

"Is there anything _fun_ to do inside your castle," Anastasia asked. She was ready to hear a 'no' from the prince.

He thought for a moment and smiled. "Well, there used to be a chamber full of toys in the castle where children gathered and had a wonderful time. You three might be a little too old for it…but, would you still like to see it?"

"You want us to play with toys?" Anastasia raised an eyebrow. Mina gave her a scolding look for her comment.

"I'd be willing to see it. Why not?" Vincent shrugged.

Legolas led the way, Mina falling back next to her best friend and discreetly pinching her. "Ouch! What?" she whispered, giving her an innocent look.

"Be nice, Ana," she whispered back. "We could be living in the village, you know. Would you rather be going to see a pigpen?"

"Fine, fine," Anastasia rolled her eyes. "I'll humor him."

"I've never been in this hallway before," Vincent looked around. "There's no furniture whatsoever and the carpeting is much…fluffier."

"We removed the furniture and decorations because the children tended to run around bumping into things. It was to avoid them hurting themselves. We also changed the carpeting here since they liked to jump on it so much," Legolas chuckled.

"When you say 'children', whose children are you referring to?" he asked curiously.

"The nobles' children when they used to visit. But, that was a long time ago. Sometimes the village children come here but not as often as they used to either. Their parents had a hard time getting them to come home. Well, then…here we are," he stopped in front of two large doors. He pushed them wide open for the three students to see.

"Wow!" Vincent exclaimed. "It looks like FAO Schwartz in here!"

Anastasia stepped inside. "Or Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium…" she coolly marveled over the different toys all around them.

"This is really…unbelievable," Mina smiled at the room. I can see why children wouldn't want to leave this place."

It was like a magical room full of wondrous things that a child, even an adult's inner child, could get lost in. The room was covered from top to bottom with toys and things to play with. There were stuffed animals of different sizes such as zebras, lions, elephants, giraffes and monkeys placed everywhere—some bigger than they were. There were also kites in different colors and styles hanging from the ceiling, hot air balloons with little baskets, plastic balloons dangling in one corner, toy cars, dart boards, game boards, papier-mâché lanterns, and other types of imaginative toys and trinkets that could keep anyone entertained for hours.

"I take it back…I'll play with these toys any day!" Anastasia laughed. "Oh, wow…is that a…" she walked further into the back of the room.

"No way!" Vincent laughed, running ahead of her.

"The train set and carousel have been the most popular," Legolas smiled at Mina.

"Yeah, it looks like it," Mina laughed.

"I used to love being on the carousel as a kid!" Anastasia got on of the ceramic unicorn horses. "Does it still run?" she asked excitedly. Legolas walked over to the side and flipped a switch that turned on the ride, the music starting up slowly. "Oh, neat! There's even a cotton candy and popcorn machine!"

"What about the train set?" Vincent also asked like he was five-years-old again. "I used to have a set similar to this one growing up, until I played with it so much, it broke."

"The switch should be behind the train station building," Legolas told him.

Vincent looked around the layout of the train's route and found it, turning it on. The train started running immediately, moving along the tracks that were laid out across the entire room. "This is so cool!" he watched the train's every maneuvered turn.

"It looks like some people are enjoying themselves," Mina mused over her friends to Legolas.

"I want to show you something, Mina," he said to her, taking her hand again.

She didn't want her friends to see so she took her hand back and hid it behind her. "What about Vincent and Anastasia?" she asked as they watched the two become lost in their childhood. They were clearly not ready to leave anytime soon.

"Would you two terribly mind if I showed Mina another room?" he asked them over their laughter.

"No! No, go ahead!" Anastasia called out. "We'll be fine here! Besides, I've barely skimmed _this _room."

Mina was surprised on how much she was enjoying herself given the fact that she was reluctant to come here in the first place. "I thought you didn't even want to come here?" she rolled her eyes.

"A person can change their mind," she answered back with a shrug of her shoulder.

"And what about you, Vincent?" Mina looked to her other friend.

He looked up for a brief moment. He was in the middle of inspecting the detailed work of each train car. "Yeah, that's totally fine. I'll stay here with Ana," he replied, his eyes still glued to the toy in his hands, examining it. "Such fine craftsmanship…"

She couldn't believe her friends. She sighed knowing there was also no use of forcing them to come along since they were set in entertaining themselves here. "Fine…I guess we'll be back," she mumbled. Legolas smiled knowing he would get his way. "So, where are we going?"

"You'll see."

They walked further than she had walked before around the castle. Legolas took her outside along the beach, but that didn't seem to be their destination. "Are you taking me to a secret cove or something?" She didn't want to be in the cold because it was still raining and she didn't have a jacket on.

"We're almost there," he said. Like almost every other room in the castle, they stopped in front of two large wooden doors. This one had floral designs on them. There was a smaller opening in one, just right for a person to walk through. Mina was curious to find out where they were.

"Come inside," he motioned to her, helping her through the door.

As soon as Mina stepped foot onto the white marbled floor, she was met by a bright light. "Where are we?" her eyes tried to soak in the sight. It was like a green house built against the back of the castle. The walls were mirrored glass in its dome-like shape to let natural light in. Even though it was cloudy and raining, you couldn't tell if you were to look out the windows. It appeared to be a perfect sunny day on the other side.

"I actually haven't been in here in ages. The servants are usually the ones who tend to this area," he told her. "Elise and I went for many strolls here."

It felt like a botanical garden. There was fresh cut green grass, trees of different shapes, sizes, and colors, a variety of flowers, and tiny little circular bushes. There were also walking bridges and arched bridges with ponds under them that had lilies, bamboos and small stepping stones. The room gave off the illusion that you were outside with a fake blue sky above. Legolas told her the ceiling was run by magic.

"It seems really peaceful here," she bent down to smell one of the more fragrant flowers.

"Have a look around," he smiled.

The change in scenery was nice even though Mina knew it wasn't a real getaway. Everything in the room had real plants. She saw a couple of servants watering some of the flowers and raking leaves that had fallen. They didn't pay her any attention so she kept walking around. Legolas had also disappeared, but she didn't mind since she had something to do. This room was more to her liking than the room full of toys where her friends were at.

Venturing to almost every corner of the garden, there was an interesting pond in her path that she saw. She stood at the edge looking into the water, holding onto a branch close by so she didn't fall in. Mina leaned as far as she could and saw frogs and little insects swimming around. The trees in the area also gave the pond different shades of green from their reflection.

Even her own reflection gave the water a different color. She looked at herself wondering if she was making a mistake in agreeing to get Legolas and Elise back together. Her heart just wasn't into it from all the doubt clouding her thoughts and her own inner feelings for him that she was hesitant to fully admit. Staring blankly at her reflection, it started to change. She saw herself in a ball gown with a crown on her head, waving at a crowd who adored her.

Examining the image more closely she knew it wasn't her. It was Elise. It was her ancestor's destined future to be a queen, which was altered when she took her own life. Mina thought about her death and what her own life would have been like if Elise lived to marry Legolas. Would the events of her life still be the same or would the change in history also alter hers somehow? Would she still have been born? So many things still lingered in her mind and she couldn't help but think on the possibility that something would happen to her during the full moon ritual.

"Mina!" Legolas suddenly call out.

She was startled by his voice and almost fell into the pond. She screamed, grabbing onto the branch for dear life, which saved her from completely falling in. Mina used the branch like a rope to get her balance back on the grass, annoyed at Legolas. She stood there frowning at him while he was trying hard not to laugh. In her attempt to keep herself from drowning, her foot slipped into the water, along with the bottom portion of her dress. Her foot was now soaking wet and it felt slimy from the algae.

"I am very sorry," he apologized with a smile.

"Not funny…" she glared.

* * *

**Author's Note: **I wanted to get her friends back into the story a little since I won't be adding them much in the next few chapters. Hope you liked it. **Please review!**


	12. The Unexpected

**CHAPTER 12: The Unexpected **

"Let me help you, Mina."

"No, it's fine. I've got it."

"Please?"

"No."

"_Please?"_

"_No."_

"I said I was sorry," he sighed. "And I truly am."

"Yeah, I know…" she replied with a bitter face, wringing the bottom of her dress. She took off both shoes to let the wet one dry, she and the prince sitting on the grass. Legolas had called her name because he wanted to surprise her with flowers he had picked for her.

"Had I known you were concentrating on the pond, I would have been calmer in my approach."

"What's done is done. Can we talk about something else, please?" she asked, trying to flatten her dress back out with all its wrinkles as she was getting tired of his apologies.

"Did you at least like the flowers I gave you?"

She looked down at the bouquet by her that he had arranged. "They're beautiful, thank you…" she replied politely.

"These are no ordinary flowers. They last for as long as the one who receives them is alive."

Mina gave him a skeptical look. "Are you saying that these flowers will never die?"

"Correct."

"What if I don't put them in any water?" she raised an eyebrow, challenging its lifespan.

"They don't need water to survive. I told you, as long as you have breath in you, they will last. It is something I want you to…remember me by."

"Oh," she frowned, "I see."

"Mina," he kissed her hand, "I wish I could tell you the outcome of tomorrow night, but I don't know what will happen."

She took her hand back slowly, "Yeah, I know," she looked unhappier. "I don't think you should be so…affectionate with me."

"What's the matter, Mina?" Legolas looked saddened by her change in mood.

"I just don't want to be attached to you more than I already am," she managed to briefly look at him. "As you said, you don't know what will happen tomorrow night and I'm already having a hard time…dealing with everything."

"I wish there some way I could sooth your heart and your soul, but all I can offer you is my time and the comfort you will allow me to give you," he answered sincerely. "If I could give you more than this, I would…"

"I know, Legolas! I know!" she said frustrated, looking up at the ceiling, watching the magical blue clouds move about slowly. Mina sighed and stood up, grabbing her shoes. "I know what you're trying to do and I appreciate it, but…you're just making it harder to let go of you." It wasn't easy for her to confess what she was feeling inside because she didn't want any sort of rift between them. However, she couldn't hold in the disheartening feeling any longer.

He stood up and chased after her, walking alongside her, matching her pace. "Mina, can you truly say what you feel for me?" he asked hastily.

She shook her head, not wanting to answer. "I don't need to admit anything to you. What's the point? All of this will be over soon." She stepped through the door and into the cold, wet weather, running back to her friends.

Legolas gradually stopped walking until she had disappeared around the corner. "Dammit!" he banged his fist on the side of the castle as a result from the outcome of their excursion. He meant to bring Mina here to ease her thoughts and make her forget of the burden she carried, but he only made it worse. He started to feel that none of this was worth it and that it was probably better for her and her friends to leave as soon as possible before the full moon.

He walked down to the beach and was met by Gandalf who was in the wine cellar. "Is everything all right?" the wizard asked.

"Just peachy," he replied sarcastically.

"Judging from the way Lady Mina was in a hurry, I presume something happened between the two of you?"

"It gets harder and harder every day, Gandalf," Legolas threw the pebble in his hand that almost reached the water's edge from the Elven strength he possessed.

"You have not told her, have you?"

"I cannot," he shook his head. "It is up to her to discover it for herself. I don't wish to influence her in anyway by telling her how to break the curse. She just needs to listen to her heart."

Gandalf folded his arms. "And what if she doesn't?" he asked curiously. "Don't you think she deserves to know? If she cannot perform what she was meant to do, Elise's soul could still be reborn. However, if you do not survive the full moon…"

The wind howled, the rain hitting the prince's face like soft needles as he looked to the dark sky. "…Then I die, unable to fulfill my promise to Elise of being with her in the afterlife, still bound for eternity to this castle as a wandering spirit…never to see her again. Yes, I know, Gandalf."

"You seem hesitant with Mina's task?" he looked closely at Legolas's features.

"I see so much strength in her, yet she is still very fragile. It isn't me that I'm worried about. I am more concerned if she can endure the trial of that night."

"Do you wish her to leave?"

"I would rather have her safe than watch her suffer. After Elise…" he trailed off, remembering how she looked when he saw her lying on the ground, moments after she had stabbed herself. "I do not think I could survive witnessing something like that again…"

Gandalf placed a hand on his shoulder. "She seems to be your weakness while you are her strength. You both have to learn to draw power from your emotions…and each other," he replied thoughtfully, which almost sounded like a piece of advice, and walked back into the cellar.

As the weather got fouler, he stopped by Mina's room then went back to the chamber where her friends were, hoping that they were still there. With his Elven speed, he arrived within a matter of minutes. Anastasia and Vincent were still enjoying themselves, throwing a small toy plane to each other that glided. They didn't seem disturbed by Mina's troubled expression. She tried to hide it from them, but she couldn't fool Legolas.

"Sir Greenleaf! You're back," Vincent smiled. "This is such a cool room!"

"I'm glad you like it. And, please, call me Legolas."

"Oh, right. Sorry."

"Sorry about what I said before," Anastasia apologized. "Besides the games we played with our group, this is the most fun I've had here."

"You are welcomed to stay in here for as long as you like," he smiled.

She smiled back her thank you and glanced at Mina who was absentmindedly looking at different toys, barely paying attention to any of them. "Mina? Why are you…barefoot?" she gave her a curious look.

"I stepped in…a puddle," she answered. Her friend was about to say something, but Mina held her hand up. "Don't ask." Anastasia shrugged at Vincent and threw the plane back to him.

"So, where did you guys go?" Vincent unexpectedly threw the plane to Mina.

She fumbled with it, but it caught it nonetheless. "Outside…to the back of the castle," she threw it to Anastasia.

"What was back there?" he asked, as Anastasia threw to Vincent.

Mina looked at Legolas to answer. He was leaning against the doorway with his arms folded across his chest, watching them. He straightened his posture and smiled. "A green room with various exotic plants."

"Oh," Vincent replied, not sure if he should be impressed or not. He pictured a big backyard with a garden, which didn't really appeal to him since he was allergic to most flowers.

"Did you like it, Mina?" her best friend asked.

"Huh?" she looked at her, her mind clearly elsewhere.

"Did you _like it_?" she stressed her words to grab her attention better.

"Yeah, it was nice…" Mina replied dully.

"Well, anyways, are there other parts of the castle we can check out?" the ginger-haired girl was ready for their next destination.

"Do you like horses?" Legolas asked.

"I _love_ horses!" she beamed. "My grandpa used to own one on his ranch that he let me ride when I was younger."

"We have some lovely horses here. I can have the stable master give you a tour."

"Really?" she smiled widely. "That would be great!"

A servant appeared waiting for the prince's instructions. "Can you please show them to the stables and have Haldir give them a tour of the area? He can let them ride the tamer ones if they wish," he said.

"Right away, sire," the servant bowed, motioning the students to walk ahead of him out of the room.

Anastasia practically skipped out of the door with Vincent behind her, laughing at her behavior. "Shut up, Vincent," she rolled her eyes, following the servant.

"Are you coming, Mina?" Vincent looked back at her before they disappeared into the hallway. He saw the slight tension between her and Legolas and wondered what happened.

"Yeah, I'll be right there. You guys go on ahead. I just have to get my shoes," she said, walking to the corner where she left them.

"Okay…well, we'll see you there," he replied, but not very hopeful she would show up.

Legolas watched her as she took her shoes. "You should fully dry off in case you get sick again."

"I'm fine," she tried to move past him, but he blocked her. "Let me pass," she said, looking displeased with her eyes to the floor.

"I don't want to fight with you, Mina," he said softly. "I'm sorry if I had said or done anything to make things harder for you. That's the last thing I want to do."

"I know," she sighed, finally looking up at him. "You don't have to try so hard to make me…happy. I'm just trying to do what I think is right. If it doesn't work then at least…I tried my best," she shrugged.

"You have to understand, Mina…it won't be easy. There will be magical forces at work and they usually don't lighten any burden you carry. You could get hurt."

"Yeah, I kind of figured," she frowned. "I didn't think it would just be a walk in the park."

"Mina," he suddenly cupped her face. She saw fear and concern in his eyes. "You could…die. I am not prepared for something like that to happen to you."

She backed away at the realization of his words hitting her ears. "And don't you think that I'm scared to death, Legolas?" her eyes started to well. "I want to go back home and be with my family and my friends, and pretend none of this ever happened. But, I can't. No matter how much I want to back out of this, I can't! I can't do it. I can't do it because I know that this burden, this type of guilt inside that I'm carrying around, will forever stay with me. I would rather endure a night of hell than have this feeling constantly weighing me down in the pit of my stomach. I don't want this to be _my _curse…just because I was too afraid to try."

"I understand," was all he said. He jaw line was hard. You could tell there was more he wanted to say but he remind silent.

"Just tell me what I need to do…" she replied quietly.

Lunch for the three students went uneventful. Legolas excused himself to attend to his princely duties. Vincent and Anastasia told her about their experience with the horses and how beautiful and calm they were. She was told that there were also a few wild stallions there that looked magnificent and but didn't seem to be afraid of the stable master. Neither one wanted to go near the creatures as they kept kicking their hooves in the air, but when the stable master approached, they settled down.

"He was cute, too," Anastasia smirked. "He also kind of reminds me of Legolas, like they could almost be brothers. He said I could go back down there tomorrow if I wanted," she gave Mina a mischievous look.

"Ana…" she warned.

"What?" her friend gave her one of her famous innocent looks. "You always think I'm up to no good!"

"Because you usually are," Vincent jibbed with a smile.

"Ha…ha," she gave him an annoyed glare. "So, _anyways_…what did you guys want to do for the rest of the day?"

"I wish there were cooler places that Sir Green—I mean, Legolas, could show us," Vincent answered. "But, as for me, I think I'll head back to the library and see what other kinds of books he has in his collection. I hope he has some adventure stories."

"Well, I don't think he's the romance novel reading kind of guy," Anastasia smiled cynically.

He rolled his eyes at her and got up from the table. "I'll see you girls later."

"So," she turned to Mina after he left, "what do you feel like doing?"

"Actually, I just want to go back to my room and rest," she said.

"Really?" she gave her a whiney look. "But that's so boring!"

"I know and I'm sorry. I couldn't sleep well last night…due to the storm," Mina lied. "I woke up early and couldn't get back to sleep."

"Is that so?" Anastasia raised a suspicious eyebrow at her. "Was Legolas also up at the crack of dawn with you?"

"No!" she quickly denied her speculations. "He's always up early and we just happened to run into each other. We figured you two would still be asleep so we had an early breakfast."

"Where were you two coming from then?"

"We had breakfast outside before the rain started."

"Sounds…romantic," Anastasia batted her eyelashes and laughed.

"Shut up, Ana," Mina rolled her eyes and got up from the table.

"Oh, c'mon, Mina. Just admit you like him!" she kept laughing. "It's obvious he's taken a liking to you. Who cares how old he is!" Mina suddenly turned at the mention of his age, giving her friend a troubled look. "What?" Anastasia questioned her strange reaction. "Does his age really bother you that much? Did he tell you how old he is?"

"No…" she answered quietly, averting her eyes to the ground. "I don't care about his age. Nothing's going to happen anyway, so…whatever. I'll be in my room."

"Fine," Anastasia sighed at her friend's seemingly stubborn disposition.

Mina walked back to her room, lost in her thoughts again. It wasn't a matter of being attracted to each other—it was about actually being able to _be_ with each other. She wondered what her friends' reaction would be if she told them the truth. Told them that she has to find a way to reunite Legolas with a great aunt from long ago that was a ghost wandering around the Water Castle. Explaining his age and his race would also have to be mentioned. Vincent might believe her, but Anastasia was harder to convince when it came to fantasy, science fiction, and with whatever else that goes bump in the night. She had a mind of a lawyer, very analytical when she wants to be. She liked hard, solid facts, data, and research on every matter. The one thing that made things a little easier was she and Vincent seemed to have forgotten about the black book, which Mina assumed had to be Legolas's doing.

Once inside her room, Mina turned on all the lights and even lit every single candle. She stopped abruptly when she saw the bouquet Legolas picked for her on her bed. Their colors appeared to be more vibrant than she last remembered. The sweet aroma of the flowers were intoxicating, flowing into her nostrils and sending a warm sensation throughout her body. She placed them on the table and walked over to the loveseat that she moved. The secret door was now blocked by it, so if anyone tried to enter without her permission, they wouldn't be able to get in so easily. She also wanted to lie in bed and fall asleep, but no matter how tired she felt, her body was wide awake—most of all, her mind. It was like a hamster running on a spinning wheel.

"This will absolutely not do!" she gave a frustrating growl. Mina leaned her head back on the couch and sighed. "How does he expect me to rest and forget about everything like nothing's a big deal?" she asked herself aloud. "He's so…so…ugh!" she stood up and paced the room. She was frustrated at Legolas but also felt foolish for letting him get to her.

The prince never actually told her to do anything after they parted ways. It was her who stomped away as usual. She had a habit of leaving a situation when she didn't want to deal with it. Legolas didn't know what else he could do so he let her be, and it frustrated her. She wanted him to run after her and fix things, attempt to make things better, but he didn't. She knew it was selfish of her to want that. Not only that, but she was angry at herself—angry for knowing that she wouldn't have made it easy on him. Mina felt like her emotions were pulling her in so many different directions that she wanted to take it out on her room. And, she did.

The room itself looked too perfect. She threw the covers off the bed, disheveled the blankets, and kicked the pillows across the floor. The neatly stacked papers sitting on the desk she moved around, let ink from the bottle spill on them, and even knocked over a candleholder. Now the room suited the mood she was exuding into the air. Mina also wanted to scream at the top of her lungs, but she wanted to avoid someone breaking down her door thinking she was in trouble. If they didn't think she was crazy before, they would think that about her now after seeing the mess she made. But, she didn't really care for the room's condition.

"I can't stay in here," she stormed out the door. Mina couldn't think of any other places to go to and it was too cold and wet still to stay outside, so she went back to the last place Legolas had showed her—the botanical garden. Why she decided to go there, she wasn't able to explain. It held some peace and serenity she was looking for in her heart and it seemed to be the best place to be at. After taking off her drenched jacket, she hung it on a tree and sat by the water's edge. To avoid something like falling in again, she sat down, took off her shoes and dipped her feet into the water. It was surprisingly warm and soothing. She relaxed her posture and tilted her head to the fake sky and let her mind stay blank. This would be the last place Legolas would think to find her.

Just as Mina's mind finally calmed down, she heard something behind her. She turned around, surprised at what she saw. "Pardon me, milady. I did not know anyone was here."

"No…it's fine. I was thinking the same thing," she smiled politely.

"I am Haldir," he bowed, the horse he was walking neighing beside him. "And this is Armas."

"Hello to you both," she smiled again. "You must be the stable master I've heard about." Anastasia was right. Haldir could have passed for Legolas's brother, but she thought only because they were blonde with similar physical features.

"And you must be Lady Mina," he slightly grinned.

"The one and only," she said in a light sarcastic tone.

"Forgive me," he bowed his head again. "It is difficult to keep your presence a secret in the castle."

"Yeah…I know," she shook her head solemnly. "Don't worry about it."

"I was just taking Armas out for a stroll. I will let you enjoy your peace. Good day, milady." Haldir took Armas by the reins and led him on a different trail into a thicket of trees and bushes.

"That was strange…" Mina thought. She had never seen him before and he shows up here of all places. But, then again, things in the castle were far from normal, so she wouldn't really have been shocked if the horse started talking. It would just add to the list of oddities in this place.

"My lady…"

"Did you forget something?" she asked, thinking it was Haldir again. She finally turned her attention around when he didn't answer. "Is something the mat—oh…it's you."

"Were you expecting someone else?" he grinned, walking up to her.

"Do you think I would be expecting someone else?" she retorted with a raised eyebrow. Legolas took off his boots, placed them beside hers, and dipped his feet into the water. "What are you doing here anyway? How did you find me?"

"This is _my _sanctuary…remember?" he chuckled.

"So you weren't looking for me?" she gave him a suspicious, questioning look.

He laid his upper body down on the grass with his hands behind his head. "Were you expecting me to look for you?" he asked nonchalantly. It was hard to read the expression on his face, so she just played it off with a shrug.

"You do what you want. That's the type of person you seem like," she replied. "Or...Firstborn, Elf…whatever it is you call yourself."

A grin graced his face again. He rested the side of his head on one propped elbow, facing her. "Are you _still_ mad at me?"

Mina frowned even more. "No."

"Yes, you are," he smirked this time. "Admit it."

"I have nothing to admit to you," she raised her head like a snobby maiden.

Legolas grabbed her arms and gently pushed her down on her back, hovering over her. "You are a very stubborn creature. Do you know that?"

"So I've been told," Mina looked him directly in the eyes. She tried to act tough but the blush on her face quickly gave her away. Legolas continued to stare at her features, smiling about something, while caressing her warm cheek. "What do you really want from me, Legolas?" she finally asked.

"To be happy. To laugh. To have no worries. There are many things I want for you not from you," he answered softy.

She slowly pushed Legolas off of her and sat back up, reflecting on the pond. "You may know magic, but…I'm sure even you have your limits."

"When it comes to matters of the heart…yes," he admitted with a crooked smile. "I cannot make people fall in love…erase their memories…or have the power to tell them what I want them to think. Just like no one has the power to tell me how to feel or what to say. Everything I've told you, Mina, everything I've shown you, comes from my heart."

"You and I both know that's not the problem," she said quietly, watching the frogs leap onto the lillie pads.

"I know…" he replied quietly as well. "I just thought you should know." He dried his feet and put his boots back on. Mina watched silently as he got ready to leave her side. He gave her a half-smile and walked away. She sat there with her heart racing in her chest.

"Legolas!" she called out. He turned around slowly to face her as she marched up to him. Mina searched his eyes, not sure for what, but did what she said she wasn't going to do again. She pulled his face toward her….and kissed him.

* * *

**Author's Note:** The story is almost done! Brace yourselves! Oh, and…**review please!**


	13. Promises and Wishes

**CHAPTER 13: Promises and Wishes**

Mina shot awake in bed the next morning, inhaling deeply as if she was just suddenly revived from the dead. She sat straight up and patted the bed the next to her, only to find nothing there. She sighed and relaxed. "It was just a dream…" When she finally got the grogginess out of her system, she realized she wasn't wearing anything underneath the covers. She gasped in horror and covered herself up even more. Her eyes darted quickly around the room, nothing seemingly familiar. After realizing the obvious, she whimpered at the display in front of her as it wasn't her room. "Crap."

She hit her head with the palm of her hand, scolding herself. She remembered kissing Legolas in the garden then, after that, his room became their primary destination. For the rest of the night they talked, laughed, teased each other, and did things she would never have thought she would do with the prince. They had such a great time together that she didn't understand why she was dreading it happened. The other thing on her mind was Legolas's whereabouts.

With him nowhere in sight, Mina quickly gathered her clothing and changed in record time. The sun was barely up, so she still had time to sneak back to her room without the rest of the castle knowing. And just to be safe, she tried to be quiet about making her escape. She'd look back every few seconds in case Legolas appeared from one of the many rooms in his enormous chamber. The room was like a two story house. The entire top floor was his bedroom with a balcony. Downstairs was a living room, a small library, an extra room with a piano and a fireplace to entertain guests, a second bathroom, and another balcony.

The door was only now a few feet away from her grasp. Mina reached out for it when it opened by itself. She jumped back, startled, and froze in place. Legolas walked in with a tray of food and stopped when he saw Mina and the shocked, confused, and guilty look she had on her face. He grinned widely at her. "Leaving without saying good-bye?" he asked, placing the tray down on the coffee table. "I thought you might be hungry since you didn't eat anything at all last night."

"I'm not very hungry," she said quietly. "You should eat. It wouldn't be right to let the food go to waste."

"My kind doesn't eat very much, or at least not the kind of portions your race needs to consume. We can sustain ourselves for days off a slice of bread."

"I think I should go…" she looked at him with questioning eyes. The way her words came out, she wasn't sure if she was telling him she had to leave or asking him if she _should _leave. Mina waited for a moment before deciding to disappear, but Legolas blocked her from exiting out the door.

"Mina…stay. Please?" Legolas asked softly. "This is our last day together and I would very much like to spend it with you. However, I won't force you to if you would rather take this time to be alone." He stepped out of her way. "I will understand your decision."

She sighed again, thinking to herself. Legolas hated to see her so torn inside. He just wanted to see her happy and missed her smile. Her smile seemed to bring a glow about her like she didn't have a care in the world, and last night, he saw her genuinely content for once without all of her walls up. He frowned when she moved past him toward the door. The prince started to make his way back upstairs after he heard the door close thinking she was gone. But, then, he heard her clear her throat to get his attention. He quickly turned around to see her still standing there, fiddling with her fingers.

"I just realized that…I have nothing to do today," she said as an excuse, still looking somewhat disheartened.

He smiled warmly at her and gathered her into his arms, kissing her hair. Mina eventually wrapped her arms around him and gave him a real embrace after a few moments. He cupped her face, their foreheads touching, eyes closed. "Anything you want today, it's yours. Whatever I can give you, have it. Whatever you want me to do, I will do it."

Mina couldn't help but laugh a little. She opened her eyes and smiled at him. "Aren't we in a multi-self giving mood today," she teased.

"I just want to make you feel the way you make me feel," he smiled back.

"Trust me…you do it everyday," she rolled her eyes with a joking smile.

"First off," he grabbed her hand, "eat something. I know you're hungry."

"I'm not, I'm fine," she tried to convince him again.

Legolas picked up a fruit she had never seen before. "Try this first and _then _tell me you're not hungry."

She let him feed it to her, taking her time in eating it. It was sweet and juicy, and felt refreshing in her mouth. Mina's eyes lit up at the taste. "This is really good!"

"It's a favorite fruit of my people. Delicious, isn't it?"

Mina nodded in agreement. After trying it for the first time, she started craving more of it. "I guess I can eat a little…" she tried to say coolly.

"Well, please help yourself," Legolas suppressed his smile.

"Wait…what about Anastasia and Vincent? I'm sure they'll be looking for me or wondering where I am."

"Don't worry about your friends. I have the whole day planned out for them to keep them distracted."

Mina raised a curious eyebrow. "And what exactly are they going to do today?"

"I have asked Haldir to invite both Anastasia and Vincent back to the stable and to take the horses out on the trails for a while. He will also show them the garden since they have not seen it before. As for the magical sky, I have removed the enchantment. Some of the other servants have also planned a picnic for them with a small gathering in the village today for a birthday party at the pub. I figured they could stay there for the rest of the night. Once they start to become tried, they will go directly to their rooms and fall into a deep sleep until tomorrow morning so that they do not get involved in tonight's…activities."

"And you're sure that they'll be willing to do all of this?" She still felt skeptical.

"Yes," he nodded confidently. "There is a magical herb that can be made into a powder. It is odorless and tasteless to morals. Once consumed, the individual is easier to convince when it comes to suggestions."

"Suggestions? You mean like…horseback riding, having a picnic, and going into town for a birthday?" Mina still had her eyebrows raised.

"Exactly," he smiled sheepishly. "The powder will be poured into their cups during breakfast."

"So, you have this all figured out, don't you?"

"I have been discussing it with the castle."

"They'll be okay…won't they?" Mina started to feel a tinge of concern.

Legolas placed his hand on hers. "Your friends will be fine. It is _you_ I am concerned about."

She shook her head. "Don't be. I told you, I want to do this. When exactly will this whole ritual thing take place tonight?"

"The moon will be at its highest peak a few hours after dawn. Your friends should be asleep by then. When it is time, you and I will be on the highest tower bridge in the castle."

"Honestly, I'm excited yet nervous about this for some reason," she chuckled.

"Excited?" he gave her a strange look. "You're excited that you might get hurt?"

Mina rolled her eyes. "That's not what I meant. Of course I'm not looking forward to bleeding…or dying! I'm not morbid. I just meant…I'm starting to feel ready for this. That's all."

"Well, I hope you are," he half-smiled. "As I said, you'll be tested. Don't rely on your physical strength. Your strength lies within you…remember that."

"You mean I can't channel my superhuman powers?" she pretended to be shocked.

Legolas gave her a scolding look and rolled his eyes. "No, you cannot try to stop a speeding bullet or fly around the world counter-clockwise in an attempt to reverse time. Don't think I don't know about that superhero myth."

She laughed at his response. "Oh, darn," she replied sarcastically.

"Mina, please be serious," Legolas sighed.

"Legolas, c'mon!" she continued to chuckle. "Like you said it's our last day together and I really don't want to be brooding and miserable. I stayed because I knew I'd have a few hours of forgetting…my responsibility…my _duty_," she stuck her chest out jokingly.

"I'm surprised you're in lighter spirits today."

"Yes, I know...shocking!" she made her eyes big for effect. "But, seriously, can we just pretend like it's just any other day today? We don't know what tomorrow will bring for either of us so let's just make the best of it. _Please?_"

Legolas smiled and kissed her hand. "Of course, milady."

"So, tell me, Prince Legolas," she took another bite of the fruit, "what are we doing today?"

"I don't know?" he shrugged. "Would you like to take a stroll outside around the village and forest? It is still cloudy outside but the rain has stopped."

"Yeah, I guess we can do that. We haven't really been to the village in a while."

"I'll prepare something warmer for you to wear."

And so, after breakfast, Legolas had one of the seamstresses find a thicker cloak for Mina to wear with a large hood as they ventured outside again. The elven cloak was surprising light and kept her from shivering in the cold, windy day. Legolas as always didn't seem bothered by the weather. In fact, he had a little smirk on his face that she noticed. "What are you smiling about?"

"Oh, nothing," he said, smiling wider, holding her hand.

"You don't think people will think this is strange—do you?"

"What's strange?"

She lifted their hands in the air for him to see. "This."

"Us holding hands?" he gave her a confused look.

"Well…yes."

"It _is _such a strange thing to see—two people walking around and holding hands in public. How outlandish! What shall our punishment be?" he jokingly eyed her.

"Never mind," she rolled her eyes with a sigh.

Legolas laughed, squeezing her hand. "The villagers are good people and are not one to judge. You shouldn't worry about what they think or feel the need to be accepted by them. I'm quite sure they already adore you."

"Right. And how would _you_ know?"

"I just do," he smirked. "These _are_ my people, after all."

"If you say so…" Mina murmured.

The prince took her around the entire village, visiting the little shops and stores, and even their farming area, where they grew corn and wheat. She also enjoyed the little boys running around chasing after a dog by the field where the adults were picking cabbages and planting seeds. The oxen she saw were a sight to see as she's never seen one in person before. The pigs in the barn also had cute little curly tails that she wanted to try to uncurl but Legolas warned her that they could try to bite her, which she didn't really believe.

Everyone in the village was even more relaxed and polite toward her than before. Mina figured it was due to the fact that she knew Legolas's secret and what the Water Castle meant to them. Aside from the people working on their daily chores, the rest of the village was getting ready for the birthday part at the local pub. There were men putting up a huge banner with the celebrant's name, and the women decorating the outside and inside of where the party was going to be held.

"This is where your friends will be tonight," Legolas told her.

"Legolas, who _is_ this person having a birthday?"

"His name is Faramir. He is one of the oldest people in the village. Today is his ninetieth birthday. His family actually comes from a long line of noble Stewards in the olden days of Gondor. He was named after a great generational grandfather, who I actually knew. His grandfather, Faramir, and his brother, Boromir, were great warriors—very respectable."

"So, everyone in the village really knows that you're an…Elf?"

"Yes," he nodded. "Mostly those who have been in the village long enough and understand how the past has shaped our future here. The younger generations are eventually told by the elders when they feel they are ready to learn the truth or start asking questions as to why I haven't seemed to age."

"How do the younger generation take the news?" she wondered. "I mean, don't any of them get curious about life outside of the village and what the big cities have to offer them?"

"Of course they do. I don't seclude the villagers from experiencing the world out there. They are free to venture from Mirkwood and explore where they desire. A few people have actually left and lived in other parts of Europe and America, who still come back to visit from time to time. We all understand how important this land is to us and the one thing that is instilled in everyone is how significant the past is and the history of this place. No one's also ever made a big spectacle of my origins and most think it is just an urban legend made up by the villagers," he chuckled. "I also try to keep the village and the castle protected from prying eyes so that we are left alone in peace."

"This place really means everything to you…doesn't it?" she guessed.

"It does. I've seen this land grow from mere ashes and dust with disheartened families to what you see before you. Seeing how happy and content the people are here, I can't let them experience that kind of suffering again," he replied with a determined look in his eyes.

Mina squeezed his hand. "That past is over, Legolas," she smiled understandingly. "Those dark times are long behind you. Even if you were to leave this place, this village and this land will still continue to prosper. You've done so much for the people here that they can function on their own with the natural resources they have at their disposal. I think the village is strong and has been around long enough to take care of itself."

"Yes, you're probably right," he smiled back, kissing her hand again. "Come, let's take a walk to the big oak tree."

She nodded remembering it was the tree that had the arrow in it with a picture of the Water Castle. It was such a beautiful tree that she couldn't believe she almost forgot about it. She could still feel the strange tingling sensation pulsing throughout her body, as if the tree was talking to her when she pulled the arrow out. "It's such a massive tree," she looked up at its golden leaves.

"You should see the ones in Lórien," he smiled. "The golden mallorn trees there reached up to the heavens where the Silvan Elves build their homes inside the hollow barks. Their structures are a wondrous sight, very regal and captivating, full of light and energy."

"From your stories, your race seems very…sophisticated. Even from the portraits I saw, you all look very beautiful and handsome and…I don't know…graceful? Even your castles and homes seem like a cool place to visit."

"Being an Elf does have its perks," he smirked. "I wish you could have seen Middle-earth when it was a peaceful place. I would have taken you to the Elven Realms and Gondor where your family once lived, travelled all over the countryside."

"That would have been nice…" she half-smiled, replying quietly.

He placed his arms around her waist. "There are also many wondrous things here that Middle-earth doesn't have," he smiled at her, bringing her eyes to meet his. "As I said, I miss my home there, but I've also established a life here that I cherish. If only given the chance, I would travel all over the world with you—_here_."

"But, you'll be gone by tonight," Mina tried to smile to show that it didn't bother her, but failed. She couldn't hide the disappointment written all over on her face.

"Hey, what happened to not brooding and being miserable, and just enjoying the day together?" he asked softly with a smile. He gently kissed her cheek and held her tighter.

Mina tried to stay strong and not let her emotions get the best of her. "It just feels things are ending before they've even started," she sighed, hugging him back.

"I know, love," he kissed her hair again. "If only the gods were gracious enough to give me a second life…"

"Wouldn't that be something…" Mina slightly laughed to lift up her mood. "I would feed you a bunch of American burgers and fries, and deep fried foods that would probably make you fat."

"And popcorn at the movies?" he chuckled.

"Popcorn, hotdogs, and nachos," Mina finally smiled.

"If a second life rolls around for us, I am holding you to that promise."

"Promise—Girl Scout's honor," she replied.

"Girl Scout?"

"Never mind."

* * *

**Author's Note:** Yes, I know, short. But, sweet (lol). Thank you for your reviews, by the way. Please continue to **REVIEW** as the story is almost over! xoxo


	14. Test of the Gods

**CHAPTER 14: Test of the Gods**

"Happy birthday!" the crowd cheered.

"Thank you! Thank you, everyone!" Faramir waved and bowed his head. "This is the best birthday celebration I have ever had. And, let me tell you, I've had many birthdays before this one!" he chuckled. The crowd laughed along with him as he cut his cake.

Mina and Legolas decided to stay for a bit since they were already in the village. Vincent and Anastasia was surprised to see them there but were also happy that they could join them. The pub was packed with people with a four-man band playing in the corner as the pub owners passed around Faramir's cake for everyone to try. "I made this myself! I hope you like it," Maggie smiled at Mina.

"Thank you," she took the small plate from her. Legolas declined politely and passed the next plate of cake behind him. "You don't like cake? Or does she just not know how to bake one well? Should I even try this?" Mina whispered to him, which made her hesitate to take a bite. However, looking around the room, the rest of the guests seemed to be enjoying it.

Legolas smiled at her, cut a small piece with her fork, and put in her mouth. She wasn't expecting him to feed her and took the bite unexpectedly. She chewed slowly and grinned. "What do you think?" he asked.

"It's really good!" she nodded, taking another bite. "Why don't you want any? Are you on a diet?" she teased.

"I can very well eat that if I wanted, but as I have told you before, we do not need to eat much to sustain ourselves," he reminded her. "I also don't have a sweet tooth."

"Suit yourself," she shrugged. "More cake for me!"

"Mina! Isn't this cake just delish!" Anastasia walked up to her. "I told Haldir that I didn't want any because I know it'll just go straight to my thighs, but he insisted, and for some reason I just couldn't resist so I tried it. And, oh…it's so good!" she marveled over the cake and left.

Mina gave Legolas a look. "What?" he asked innocently.

"I've never known Anastasia to gush over cake like that. As a matter of fact, I've never seen her finish a whole cupcake before."

"The power of suggestion can do wonders," he grinned.

"Just tell Haldir not to overdo it with my friends…please," she advised him.

"Don't worry. I trust Haldir. I gave him specific instructions, which I know he will carry out to the letter."

"So, what's next for them after this?"

"Well, the sun should be setting soon. Your friends will probably dance and mingle for a while then start to feel drowsy. When they do, Haldir will suggest heading back to the castle."

"And what about us?" she asked, throwing the paper plate in the garbage.

"We have time. We don't have to leave right way if you would like to stay?"

"Sure. I'm actually having fun here," she smiled.

"I'm glad," he gently rubbed the small of her back.

"Ah, young love," Faramir extended his arms to them, placing them around their shoulders. "I remember my first love. She was the most beautiful girl in the whole village. After meeting her for the first time, I just couldn't stop thinking about her. Out of impulse, I asked her to marry me the very next day!"

"You did?" Mina asked amused. "What did she say?"

"She said 'yes' but her father said 'no'," he frowned.

"Aww, I'm sorry to hear that."

"Well, I couldn't really blame him," he shook his head. "We were only five-years-old!" he laughed. Mina and Legolas laughed along thinking she had rejected him because she wasn't interested. "But, when we were finally old enough to take our vows, I asked her again and she still said 'yes'," he smiled again.

"That's so sweet," Mina smiled at the thought of his proposal.

"We were married for a very long time until she passed away a few years ago, rest her beautiful soul. I told her I would join her soon, but not just yet. I still have some life left in these old bones of mine and I plan on using what I got to the fullest!" he winked at Mina. "Enjoy your love and live for each other. That's an old man's advice for you…" he said and left to mingle with the rest of the guests.

"He seems like he has a lot of interesting stories he could share," Mina commented quietly.

"Yes, he does. Sometimes I feel that he has lived longer than I have. He truly has lived a full life."

Mina left to get herself a drink to forget about Faramir's words of enjoying each other's love since there was no such love they could enjoy. She would rather not think about what the next few hours were going to be like. She and Legolas had talked about what might happen and what she needed to do, but it was all a blur to her right now.

"Mina? Are you all right?" Legolas came up behind her.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Do you want some?" she gave him her cup.

He took it with no intentions of drinking it. "Are you sure nothing is bothering you? You seemed a bit…sad after Faramir left."

"It's nothing," she tried to smile it off. "He seems like a really nice man."

"Has your mood changed because of what he said? …About love."

"It just caught me by surprise, that's all," she shrugged nonchalantly. "Don't pay me any mind."

"Mina…" Legolas put down her cup and took her hands into his. "Faramir means well. I'm sorry if what he said has troubled your heart, but don't let that disturb you. No matter what happens tonight, you'll always be in my heart. And…I hope you will carry the memory of me in yours."

"Of course I will…" she answered quietly, staring at the floor.

Legolas lifted her chin up so she could see him smiling at her. "Would you do me the honor of a dance, Lady Mina?" he asked.

Mina couldn't help but smile. "Sure."

The two took to the small space opened for people to dance as a few other couples joined them. The pub was clapping and cheering as the band played on. Even Maggie and Peter were dancing alongside them having a grand time. Mina turned to her right and saw Anastasia and Vincent also attempting to dance to the fast-paced music. They appeared to be having just as much fun as everyone else, which made her smile.

"Pick up your feet, Ana!" Vincent chuckled.

"I'm trying!" she laughed. "You know I don't dance like this!"

Haldir had caught Mina's eye to which he slightly bowed his head. She smiled at him and was thankful that he was taking care of her friends for her. She told herself again that if Legolas trusted him, then so did she. Haldir seemed like a nice man, or Elf…or whatever he was, if he was something different from the prince. He was quiet most of the time, but looked like he had a kind soul.

The song ended before Mina knew it and bowed like Legolas to the watching spectators. The band quickly started a new song and some people stayed while others were replaced by new couples. As they left the dance floor, Anastasia tapped Mina on the shoulder, smiling. She seemed to be in a better mood than usual. "Mina, we're heading back to the castle."

"Oh…okay," she nodded. "Already?"

"Yeah, we've pretty much been out all day doing all sorts of things," she said.

"Our day was pretty eventful," Vincent came up to them, placing his arm around Anastasia's shoulders like they were the best of friends all of a sudden. What surprised Mina was Anastasia didn't seem to mind his closeness. Usually, she would throw him an evil look, and have him back away from her. But, this time, she appeared very relaxed and comfortable.

Anastasia yawned and finally removed Vincent's arm from where it was. "I'm getting kind of tired, too…"

"Yeah, same here," Vincent yawned after her.

"I see," Mina just nodded again. It seems the effects of Legolas's special herb and magic were finally beginning to set in. "It _is_ starting to get late. We'll head back to the castle in bit."

"Are you ready?" Haldir asked them.

"Have a safe journey back," Legolas smiled.

"Thanks," Vincent replied.

Anastasia gave Mina a hug. "We'll see you two later," she winked.

Mina rolled her eyes and said good-bye. "I'll see you…tomorrow."

"I will escort them to their rooms and keep an eye on the hallway," Haldir told Legolas. "It has been a pleasure serving under you all these years."

"Thank you, my old friend," Legolas gave him a hug. "May you continue to live a long prosperous life."

"Thank you, Haldir…for helping out," Mina smiled.

"Of course, milady," he bowed his head. "I wish you the best of luck tonight. May Eru's grace shine down upon the both of you..."

They watched the three exit the pub, the excitement of the party seeming to have died down now that they were no longer there. "So…what do you want to do now?" Mina asked. "It's still too early to leave, right?"

"We have a little time left," Legolas answered, taking her hand. "Would you like to go outside for some fresh air?"

"That sounds nice."

The moon was high in the sky as Mina stared at it. She felt like it was staring right back at her, challenging her to see if she could handle what it would do to her. There wasn't a cloud above as they walked in the silent night. If she didn't know any better, it would seem like this place was clear from rainstorms and floods. It was as if the gods made this night as calm as possible for the ritual.

"What are you thinking about?" Legolas suddenly asked. He had noticed Mina deep in thought.

"Nothing in particular," she shrugged, "just how bright the moon is tonight."

"Mina," Legolas stopped their stroll. He placed his hands on her shoulders and stared sternly into her eyes. "Are you _sure_ you want to go through with this? This is your last chance to change your mind for after this, there is no turning back."

She put her hands over his, gently removing them. "Yes, Legolas, I'm _sure_," she answered calmly and with confidence in her voice. "Why don't we just head back to the castle and…prepare for tonight?"

He nodded, quietly sighing. "That is probably best."

Back at the Water Castle, Mina wanted to check on her friends before she left for the tower bridge with Legolas. Just as Haldir said, he was standing in the hallway near their rooms. "My lady," he bowed his head again to her.

"How are they doing?"

"They are doing well—sleeping. I can hear your friend, Anastasia, breathing quietly and your friend, Vincent, snoring."

Mina chuckled at his observations of her friends. "Well, as long as they're okay," she said. She slowly opened Anastasia's door, peering inside, and saw her sleeping quietly as he said. "This will all be over soon," she whispered. "We'll be home before you know it…" She closed the door and went over to Vincent's room. "Sleep well, Vincent," she sighed at his sleeping form. "I'm glad you're here..."

"Mina?" Legolas softly called her. She turned around to see him carrying a small wooden box in his hands. "Are you ready?" She nodded, following him. She half-smiled at Haldir who gave another silent blessing as they passed. Her hands were starting to get clammy the farther they walked and the closer they got to their destination. "There's nothing to be nervous about," said Legolas.

"Easy for you to say," she lightly scoffed.

"I though you said you felt prepared for this?" he grinned.

"I was! Or…I am, I mean, it just feels different now that it's actually about to start," she shook the nervousness away from her hands. "What about you? What you feeling?"

"I honestly cannot say. I suppose in a way I also feel nervous and concerned…and a bit sad."

"Sad? You should be happy," she said somberly, walking up the winding staircase behind him.

"Why shouldn't I feel sad?" he glanced back at her with dulled eyes. "I know what I am gaining…and also what I am losing."

"You've been waiting for this for so long…I'm just here to help," she inwardly frowned.

"And I do appreciate it…"

They walked in silence for the rest of the way, both lost in their individual thoughts. Mina also knew what she would be losing, but didn't have the heart to stop the ritual. She also couldn't just dismiss Elise's wish to be with Legolas again. Maybe she could convince the prince to not go through with it, but picturing how distraught her ancestor would be, she couldn't bear. She also wasn't going to rule out the fact that Elise could become vengeful toward her and put some sort of curse on her and her family. It was a risk she would rather not take with all the things she thought were myths actually being true.

The moon's light finally hit Mina as they stepped out from the tower hall and onto the tallest stone bridge in the Water Castle. Dark clouds began to circle it, the moon looking eerier than usual. Mina walked over to the edge of the bridge's barrier and looked down. She could see the lights in the village and the festivities still going on as the wind picked up. Legolas hugged her from behind to keep her warm after he saw her shivering. "I'm sorry that it's cold up here," he said.

"It's okay," she answered quietly. "I should have brought a jacket…"

"Mina…" Legolas turned her around to face him. She was frowning when their eyes met. He kissed her forehead and hugged her tightly. "Thank you for everything."

"Of course…" she tried to smile sincerely. "I had a great time here. Something I'll always cherish. I've learned more about my family's history and about myself in five days than I have in my early twenty-something years."

"I am sure this is only the beginning for you," he smiled genuinely back at her. "Now, come. I want to give you something." He walked over to the small wooden box he was carrying earlier and opened it.

"What is it?" Mina asked curiously.

The prince took out a small Elven dagger and presented it to her. "Use this to protect yourself with…in case there are complications."

"Will I have to use this?" Mina took it hesitantly. The blade was made of quicksilver with designs engraved into it, attached on a golden handle that sparkled in the night. Mina was surprised how light it felt in her hand. It also seemed to glow when she held it, as if it recognized who she was.

He half-smiled at her question. "Only if you choose to use it. But, you're a pretty brave girl," he smirked.

"Right…" she replied sarcastically. "So, explain everything again to me?"

"When the moon has reached its highest peek," he looked up into the starless sky, "it will sparkle a shade of blue and beam down upon this spot. When Elise's figure appears, I will try to join her in the afterlife. You are our connection to each other," he looked at her.

"And, she and I are supposed to channel each other's energy somehow so she can physically touch you, bringing you with her into the afterlife as a mortal?" She finished his sentence to see if she got his previous explanation correct.

"Yes."

"So, when does the complicated part happen?"

"There will be forces that will test our love and try to stop Elise and I from being together. These same forces will also try to stop you from making a connection with her. You have to trust your heart and be strong."

"And, I'm guessing if I don't, that's the part where I could potentially get hurt or…" she let her words trail off.

"Or _nothing_," Legolas lifted up her chin. "I will do everything in my power to try to protect you as well."

"You can't do that, Legolas," she shook her head, backing away from him. "You have enough things to worry about. If you worry about me, you will get distracted and the ritual might fail. Besides, _you_ could be a distraction to me," she smirked. "I might not be able to do my job."

"We wouldn't want that to happen, now do we?" he lightly chuckled with a heavy heart.

"Yeah…" she tried to hide the pain in her own heart. "You know, you never really told me what exactly would happen to you if you don't survive this so-called _test of the gods_. You're an immortal, so you'll be still fine in the end, right?"

It was the one question Legolas was hoping she wouldn't ask, and what perfect timing it was. He lightly smiled, looking away and walking to the edge of the bridge where he could see the village. He was quiet for a long time, pondering, before he answered. "There are pros and cons to everything, my dear Mina."

"I don't understand?" Mina said confused. "What are you talking about? Of course I know the pros and cons to this."

He glanced back at her with a smile, knowing she didn't understand what he meant. "If the ritual fails tonight, I will have no choice but to wait for Elise's soul to be reincarnated again…"

"I already know _that_," she shook her head. She already understood the story so she was stumped on what he was trying to say.

"But, if _I_ fail tonight, then that will never happen."

"What do you mean? You're not making any sense, Legolas," she replied frustrated by his words.

The prince turned to face Mina, looking solemnly into her eyes. "If I am not strong enough…I will die."

"What?" she was even more confused. "What do you mean die? You can't _die_. That's impossible…"

"I felt that it was best for you to not know this, to keep you from being concerned about my well-being. You have enough things to worry about yourself."

"What do you mean _die_, Legolas?" she started to become angry. "Why didn't you tell me this from the beginning?"

"Because, as I said, I didn't want you to worry," he walked over to her, cupping her face. "I knew already how hard this was for you and I didn't to make things more difficult."

Mina backed away, pacing in place. The unhappy expression on her face wasn't good. Legolas noticed her gripping the dagger with a look in her eyes as if she was contemplating of stabbing him with it. "Explain yourself," she tried to say calmly and kept pacing to keep herself from exploding at him.

"Very well," he sighed. "Elise can only be reincarnated again if I am alive. If I perish from this world then her return will be pointless. Because I am an immortal, in theory, I cannot die until I am reunited with her, to which, I would become a mortal. If my will is not strong enough during the ritual, my physical body will die but my spiritual being will remain, tied forever to this castle."

"And what about Elise?"

"I will never see her again…"

"So, you're telling me that even if I'm able to give her my energy but you can't stand whatever these magical forces are that are testing you, then all of this would have been for _nothing_?" Mina said in shock, her chest feeling like it was closing in on her. She could feel herself shaking from all the different emotions flooding through every bone in her body from what she had just discovered.

"Have faith, Mina. My love for Elise is strong, there is nothing for you to worry about," Legolas tried assuring her.

"You keep saying that," she glared at him, "nothing for me to worry about. Nothing for me to _worry_ about? I have _everything_ to worry about, Legolas! My life, my friends' lives, your life, Elise's—will I ever get to go home and see my parents and friends again? The list goes on! I can't believe you didn't tell me this sooner!"

"I gave you the opportunity to back out of this many times, Mina," he replied calmly. "I did not force you here."

"I know that!" she said angrily, still pacing around the bridge. "Don't try to make me out to be the bad guy, Legolas. I'm the one doing you a favor, don't forget that."

Legolas didn't like where their conversation was heading and attempted to fix it. "I know, Mina, and I am sorry for keeping this from you. I only thought it was for the best; to give some of your burdens a rest."

"For the best?" she scoffed. "You thought keeping more secrets from me was for the best?" she looked at him disappointed. "I thought we were passed all of that, Legolas? It now makes me wonder what else about this ritual of yours you're not telling me. Is there anything else I need to know that you haven't told me?"

The prince couldn't answer her because he didn't want to lie to her any further. "I'm sorry, Mina, but there are matters you must try to understand for yourself."

"Like what?" she threw her hands in the air. "That I'm also supposed to battle some kind of monster with this dagger? Is that why you gave it to me so I can protect myself?"

"It's not like that, Mina," Legolas tried to reason with her. "Everything I have told you up to this point has been the truth."

She bent down and placed the dagger on the ground by his feet. "Well, apparently not the whole truth if there are matters I still need to understand for myself. I think I'll go ponder on these _matters_ as I get my friends and leave this place!" she stormed away.

Mina was upset at the fact that he never told her that she could still lose him whether or not the ritual happened and all of its complicated details. She was already hurting that she had to let him go and knowing that even the smallest of chances they could have been together was now inconceivable, it hurt that much more. She tried not to be selfish with her desires knowing he belonged to Elise first, but she couldn't help what her heart was longing for. With all of this coming to light, she no longer had the strength to carry it out. Her emotions were clouding her judgment and she felt weak and just wanted to go home.

"Please, Mina, wait!" Legolas ran after her.

"I want to go home!" she yelled out, lightly sobbing. She no longer cared about any type of curses that might befall her.

"Mina, please—"

She heard the prince suddenly scream out in pain, collapsing to the ground. "Legolas!" she ran back to him in a panic. "What's wrong?" she shook him lightly. He looked at her in distraught, unable to say anything, his body curled into a fetal position. She became nervous and let the tears fall from her cheeks. "It's beginning…" she whispered to herself.

The moon was shining brightly, the hint of blue appearing just as Legolas had told her. Its light was cascading toward them like a spotlight, the dark clouds around it gathering even more. The wind howled at them as Mina tried to protect Legolas from it. Windows and signs rattled in the village as it passed them by, the villagers boarding up their glass windows from breaking. Faramir's birthday quickly ended as everyone was instructed to go home and stay indoors.

"Mina…save…your…self," Legolas struggled to say, grunting again in pain. His body felt like needles were stabling every inch of him.

"No!" she shook her head vigorously. "No matter how upset I am at you, I can't leave you like this…" she frowned at his body, not knowing how to help him. "We've gotten this far, haven't we?" She tried to smile, but more tears just came flowing from her cheeks.

"Mina…" she heard a voice whisper. She looked up toward the moon and saw Elise floating down toward them. "Come to me…"

She hesitantly left Legolas by himself and stood a few feet away from her. There was a bright glow all around her transparent figure. Mina never got used to seeing her image, as they looked practically identical. But, Elise had more of a regal presence about her and spoke like she lived in a different time like Legolas.

"What am I supposed to do?" she asked, attempting to be bold.

"You are very brave, dearest Mina," Elise smiled at her.

"I'm only doing what's right," she answered with a slight frown. "Legolas said I have to try to somehow connect my energy with yours?"

Elise nodded. "You have to transfer some of your own essence to me in order for me to take on a physical form." She walked up to Mina and stood right in front of her. She held her hands up, palms facing outward. Mina mirrored her actions, their hands only a few inches away from each other.

"Now what?" Mina asked, glancing at Legolas who was still on the ground, but didn't seemed to be in as much pain as he was before. He looked half unconscious with his eyes closed.

"Close your eyes and concentrate. Feel the energy in you and around you. Let your mind rest and your heart open…"

Mina took a deep breath and did as she was instructed to do. She emptied her mind and focused on her surroundings and the nature that was all around them. Her body began to feel warm and tingly the harder she concentrated. She felt light as a feather. When she opened her eyes, Elise's spiritual glow had also enveloped her. Elise's figure was becoming more solid and suddenly, she grabbed Mina's hands. "I can touch you! Finally…after all this time," she whispered, her eyes welling.

"Elise…" Legolas was now on his feet. He slowly walked over to where she and Mina were standing with unsteady paces.

Mina backed away from Elise so that they could finally have their reunion. "Thank you, Mina," Elise smiled and waited for Legolas to reach her. Mina nodded silently, her eyes to the ground as she stood back farther.

"My darling Elise…" Legolas held his hand out for hers.

"By beloved Lance," she smiled at him, also extending her hand, waiting for him.

They were mere inches apart when Mina decided to turn around and leave. There was nothing else left for her to do but say a silent good-bye to the both of them. She felt good inside, relieved that everything had gone well and that they were both strong enough to perform the ritual. As she turned to give them one last glance before they disappeared into the afterlife together, a strong force pushed them apart, also knocking her near the side entrance in its wrath. The last thing Mina heard was Elise's screams before she faded into the darkness.

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**Author's Note:** Uh-oh! LOL. The next chapter will be up soon. I'm almost done with it. Please don't forget to keeping **REVIEWING!**


	15. Goodbye Forever?

**Author's Note:** Here's the final chapter!

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**CHAPTER 15: Good-bye Forever?**

When she finally regained consciousness, the bridge was glowing so brightly that the dark night was no longer visible. Mina's right side was hurting, thinking she might have broken a rib. Her head was also throbbing with pain as she tried to shield her eyes from the light to see what was going on. She tried to crawl her way to Elise and Legolas to see if they were all right but the sudden wind that kept her back was too strong.

Legolas was the first to come into her view. He was also on the ground, reaching for Elise's hand with the same magical force keeping him away. Elise was yelling out for him, trying to reach him as well, but the light was pulling her from him. "Legolas!" Mina called out.

He turned at the sound of her voice, relieved that she wasn't hurt very badly. "Mina, you must try to leave this place! Leave before it is too late!"

"But…what about you? What about Elise?" she looked over at Elise who looked more panicked for his safety than she did.

"Don't wo—" his words were cut off by a sudden scream emulating from his throat. He fell flat on his stomach, yelling out in pain again.

"Lance, no!" Elise screamed out in sobs. "You must fight it!"

Mina pushed herself even harder to get to the prince. She was closer than Elise, who was stuck where she was, inching further and further away from him as if she was held captive by the light around her. "Hang on, Legolas!" Mina said to him.

"Mina! Mina, please help him!" Elise begged. "I am starting to fade," she looked at her hands that were looking transparent again. "Once the moon goes dim, I will vanish and he will die! Please, do something!"

The wind picked up again, Mina extending her hand as far as she could out to Legolas, but the strong breeze lifted her up into the air, throwing her forcefully back, like a strong pair of hands, where she first started. Mina screamed out in horror thinking that her life was going to end once she hit the concrete. She closed her eyes and awaited her fate, her heart pounding feverishly in her chest. But, instead, she landed on something soft. In someone's arms. "Are you all right, child?"

She reluctantly opened her eyes to see who had caught her. "Gan…Gandalf?" she couldn't believe he was there. He was dressed in a gray cloak, holding a staff. Mina almost didn't recognize him with the long, white beard he was wearing on his face. He was always so clean-shaven with short hair and concluded this was his true form. She remembered Legolas mentioning he was some kind of wizard.

"Thankfully I am not too late," he said with concern, watching the ritual taking place.

"Please! Can you help him?" she asked, turning to see if there was any progress with Legolas's condition. "You're a wizard aren't you? Can't you use your magic to help them?"

Gandalf shook his head. "I'm afraid I cannot interfere even if I wanted to. My magic will not work against this magical curse that only _you_ have the power to break."

"I've tried and I can't!" she frowned, wincing at the pain in her side. "I'm not strong enough. Every time I get close to him, something stops me. And, Elise…"

"Elise cannot do anything but wait for Legolas to reach her. She is bound to the light until it is all over."

"Then all is lost…" Mina shrugged, defeated, tears filling her eyes.

"Not quite," Gandalf gave her a small hopeful smile. She looked at him, confused by his expression. Out of his cloak, he pulled out the small dagger Legolas had given her.

She took it from him, still confused. "Legolas gave this to me to protect myself with."

"I speculate that he did not tell you the kind of power this dagger holds?" he had a slight mischievous grin on him.

"What do you mean?"

"This is the sacrificial knife used to turn an immortal into a mortal."

"What?" Mina examined the dagger that sparkled in her eyes. "What am I supposed to do with this? Give it to Elise?"

"No, Mina…" Gandalf slowly shook his head, waiting for her to catch on.

She shook her head in disbelief. "You can't mean that this knife was meant for _me_ to use? This knife was something that _Elise_ was supposed to use to show her love for Legolas…not me."

"The other part the prince has failed to tell you about the curse is that in order to successfully complete the ritual, Elise's reincarnated form must use the dagger and thrust it into his heart."

"You can't be serious?" Mina laughed in skepticism. "If I stab Legolas with this knife, he'll die! Only his true love can perform this, which is Elise."

"By holding this dagger in your hands, it can detect if your heart is pure and true for the one it is meant for. Can you not hear it speaking to you? A part of Elise's essence is already in you. By placing this dagger into the heart of the prince, your heart and his will join, releasing him from the curse. But, if doubt sits in your heart, you both could die."

"Why didn't he tell me?" she frowned again, the heavy burden reaching her heart once more. _"Only if you choose to use it…"_ his words echoed in her mind.

"He did not want to make you feel more obligated to be in this ritual than you already do. The prince felt that he would be strong enough to endure this night without the use of the knife, but unfortunately that is not how fate and curses work for the immortals."

"That stupid Elf…" she muttered to herself. "I can't believe he didn't tell me this."

Gandalf smiled a little. "Do not be upset with him. He did this because he wanted to keep you safe. This ritual is very dangerous to those involved in it."

Mina shook her head again. "But, I don't get it? From what Legolas told me, both individuals had to love each other in order for the transformation to work?"

"My dear child, it should be clearly obvious," Gandalf chuckled. "You know the prince loves you."

Mina blushed. "He's said it, but…it's hard for me really believe."

The wizard placed a hand on her shoulder. "Do you not love him in return?" She looked away, biting her bottom lip. "You must have faith in him and in yourself. You know what you feel inside, but something in you is holding back. If you want to truly save Prince Legolas, you must let all of your doubts and fears go and admit to yourself what your heart is telling you."

She gripped the knife's handle tightly in her hands against her chest. There wasn't much time. "I'm afraid of losing him and never feeling this way again with anyone. That's why it's easier if I keep my real feelings at a distance and not get attached…" she admitted quietly.

"We can lie to ourselves as much as we want, but our hearts always reveal the truth. Love has no rules. People are the ones who place such things on love when love should have no boundaries. He does not have much time. The forces at work here tonight are too powerful. If you cannot open your heart to him then all hope _will be_ lost. But, you have the power to bring to hope to everyone, even yourself."

"Me?" she gave Gandalf a baffled look.

Gandalf smiled again. "Loving others unconditionally."

"I don't understand?"

"Before coming here to the Water Castle, your heart was closed to many things. After the all events you have experienced, you have learned to open your heart and accept others for who they are. You were willing to do a selfless act of helping two long, lost loves be together again and even concerned yourself with your friends' safety, sacrificing your own life to save theirs if need be. You learned to put others before yourself…for the people you love unconditionally."

"I still don't understand what you mean about hope for myself…" she replied, still tightly gripping the knife's handle.

"Hope that even with _all _the doubts and fears that you carry, there is courage within you to be strong for others when they need you or cannot find enough strength within themselves," he explained.

She looked back at the two lovers and how dismayed Elise looked at Legolas's frail body on the ground. She was quickly vanishing, unable to do anything to help him, as he grew paler by the minute. Mina tried to put herself in Elise's shoes and understood how she felt. Losing someone important to her would be devastating. "I don't know if I can really do this," she quietly told Gandalf.

"The most important thing is trying, my dear," he smiled again at her. Mina gave him a short nod, still unsure if she would be able to perform the task that was given to her and her alone. "I can get you closer to Legolas. The rest will be up to you. Keep in mind that time is _not_ on our side, so you must act quickly."

"Okay…" she nodded again. Gandalf turned her around to face Legolas, his hands pressed gently on her back. He whispered a few words she didn't understand and pushed her in his direction. Mina flew smoothly in the air and landed right next to the prince. "Legolas!" she exclaimed.

"Mi…Mina," he whispered with a feverish look on his face. "Leave…this…place…"

"Everything is going to be all right," she wiped his forehead and tried to give him a hopeful smile. The wind grew angry and tried to separate them when it realized Mina was by his side. She grabbed onto him tightly. "I am _not_ going anywhere!" she yelled out, pressing her body against his to protect him.

"Mina, please, hurry!" Elise begged again, her form now barely visible. Legolas's cry in the night became deafening in her ears.

The thumping in Mina's heart also filled her ears as she held the knife with shaky hands. She turned Legolas on his back and kneeled beside him. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to remember everything that Gandalf had told her. "I don't want to lose you, but I know that I can't keep you either," she said to Legolas, wiping the tears from her eyes. She saw the same look in his blue orbs and understood what he was telling her even though he no longer had the strength to speak. Silent tears were streaming down his face.

"Mina, he does not have much time!" Gandalf reminded her from where he stood by the entrance.

Legolas was falling in and out of consciousness, his eyes slowly closing. His body felt heavy and weak and couldn't stay awake for much longer. His time with Mina flashed in his mind as he finally gave into the darkness, a small smile gracing his face. "Legolas, no!" Mina screamed out, hitting him on the chest. Without thinking, she raised the dagger with both hands and stabbed him in the heart. The wind forcefully pushed her back, as the light around the bridge grew brighter than before. Gandalf caught her again before she hit the stone wall. The light and Elise suddenly disappeared in an instant with Legolas still left unconscious. Everything was calm and peaceful again, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. The moon grew dim and the clouds around it parted.

After a few minutes, Mina finally groaned awake in Gandalf's arms. "What…what happened?" she tried to focus her eyes on her surroundings. She sat up slowly with her head feeling like she just got hit by a truck and saw Legolas's lifeless body. "No…" she whispered and stumbled to him. She sat his body on her lap, hugging him and crying on his chest. "I'm so sorry…I'm sorry that I wasn't strong enough!"

"Lady Mina…" Gandalf said softly. She slowly looked up in his direction and saw his attention was toward the edge of the bridge. Mina followed his gaze and saw a figure start to appear. It was Legolas smiling at her. She looked at his body in her arms and then at his spiritual essence standing before them.

"Legolas?" she stood up and walked over to his see-through form.

"Thank you, Mina," he said. She tried to touch him but her fingers went right through him. He smiled at her attempt and wished he were able to touch her one last time. "Thanks to your strength and generous heart the curse has been lifted."

"So, we did succeed after all?"

"Yes," he nodded happily.

"Lance?" Elise's spirit appeared near him. "It is time for us to depart."

He nodded at her and turned back to Mina. "I wish we didn't have to part so suddenly. Please know that you will always be in my heart and that you carry a piece of me wherever you are. My love for you is also timeless and I know you will find love again."

Mina couldn't speak as she was trying to hold back her tears. Instead, she swallowed the lump in her throat and just nodded and tried to smile. Legolas walked back to Elise and reached out for her hand. She took it willingly as they began to float away in the sky. Elise looked back at Mina and said her silent thank you. "Do not think of this as the end, but only as the beginning," she smiled appreciatively.

"They're gone…" the realization hit Mina like a ton of bricks. Legolas's physical body also disappeared like ashes floating away in the breeze. Everything felt like it happened so suddenly. The only reminder she had was the massive headache and throbbing side she had.

"We are all very thankful to you," Gandalf placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Anastasia and Vincent saw Mina in the dining hall having breakfast quietly by herself. "You're up early," Anastasia commented with a yawn.

"The sun woke me up," she lied.

"Hey, you're right! It's actually sunny today for once," Vincent looked out the large window.

"Good morning, everyone," Gandalf walked in. He was dressed in his usual attire with short hair and without his long beard from last night. "I have received word that the roads are now safe to travel on. When you are ready, I will take you into the city to join your group."

"Finally!" Anastasia smiled with a sigh. "I was beginning to miss real buildings and street noise. The first thing I'm going to do when we get into town is buy a caramel macchiato at Starbucks!"

"Is Sir Legolas around?" asked Vincent. "I would like to thank him personally for his hospitality."

Mina briefly looked up at the servant. Gandalf smiled and apologized for his absence. "Unfortunately, Master Legolas is not here. He received a late call last night and left early this morning on a business trip as soon as the roads cleared. He sends his own apologies and best wishes on your safe journey home."

"Oh, well, that's too bad," Vincent said. Mina quietly sighed at the lie they came up with to tell her friends. However, it was partly true in the sense that he was gone…forever.

When the three students were finally reunited with their class, Mr. Wilkins thanked Gandalf like there was no tomorrow. He had also wanted to thank Legolas directly for having to take care of his students, but Gandalf gave him the same story about Legolas away on a business trip. "I hope that this small incident doesn't put the university in a bad position of visiting your great castle again in the future."

"No, of course not," Gandalf assured him. "We will be more than happy to welcome you again." He said good-bye to Mr. Wilkins, Vincent and Anastasia, and turned to Mina before he left. "I have a small parting gift for you."

"For me?"

"Something for you to remember us by," he smiled and handed her what looked like a small locket. Mina opened it and saw a mirror image of the Water Castle, sitting by the sea she recognized in her dreams, the sun beautifully gleaming in the background.

"It's beautiful, thank you," she hugged him, surprising Mr. Wilkins and some of the students by her actions.

"What exactly happened over there?" some whispered to each other.

For the next few days, Mina, along with Anastasia and Vincent, stayed behind with some of their friends, touring around London after the class trip was over. She went through the motions of showing a happy face, even though she felt lonely inside and didn't really enjoy the sites as much as they did. Even travelling to Paris with her parents didn't lighten her mood. She just wanted to go home to get some normalcy back into her life.

Back in Seattle, she opened the door to her room on campus and sighed at the sight that she never thought she would miss in such a short time. "Home, sweet, home…" she placed her bags on the floor. Lily, of course, wasn't there again, most likely at her boyfriend's. Mina looked out the window and thought about everything that had happened. The cherry blossom leaves on campus were floating all over the grass, creating a serene mood for her. She thought it was strange she didn't feel sad or cried herself to sleep at night, and felt more of a sense of peace after that night's events.

The locket in her hand Gandalf gave she would often look at and smile. She walked over to the bouquet of flowers that Legolas also gave her, which were supposed to live as long as she did, and placed them by the windowsill. Mina told herself that starting today, she would never look back or regret anything that she has done. She tucked away the picture Anastasia printed out of her and Legolas that was taken at the Water Castle, and smiled at her future.

_One year later…_

"Where are you?" Mina sighed, pacing around the fountain, frustrated that she had been waiting for almost ten minutes.

"Mina!" Anastasia waved.

"There you are!" she rolled her eyes. "What took you so long? You know I have to be in class soon and it's clear across campus."

"I know! I know!" Anastasia apologized. "I forgot how hard to find parking around the Ave. Where is he?" she looked around Red Square of the UW Campus.

"Weren't you two together?" Mina raised a confused eyebrow.

"I know, but you know how he can be such a slowpoke," she sighed at his tardiness. "Oh! There he is, finally!"

"Hey, guys," Vincent jogged the rest of the way to them. "Sorry, I ran into an old classmate and got the talking."

"You could have told him you were in a hurry. We're starving!" Anastasia whined.

"I'm _sorry_," he placed an arm around her. "I'll buy you some Haagen Daz ice cream afterwards," he promised.

Anastasia's eyes lit up. "Okay, you're forgiven," she smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Mina quietly laughed to herself because she still couldn't believe they were dating. They seemed so mismatched, with Anastasia's feisty attitude and Vincent's nerdy appeal. But, she figured opposites attracted and that's exactly what they were. Ever since they left the Water Castle, something in them had changed. They slowly began to form a closer friendship that eventually led to a relationship and has gone on for almost a year now. Mina was happy for her friends, even though they still bickered at times, which never lasted that long.

"Hello? Earth to Mina?" Anastasia waved her hand in front of her. Memories of the past blocked out everything around her and didn't notice that the waiter at the restaurant they were at for lunch was waiting to take her order.

"Oh, sorry," she picked up the menu and quickly scanned it, picking the first appealing thing she saw. "I'll have the chicken teriyaki." After the waiter left with the menus, Anastasia leaned into the table. Mina already knew the look on her face. It was the look she got when she had gossip to tell. "Okay…what did you hear now?"

"Well, I heard that someone just recently moved into the old Mayberry Estate," she smiled curiously, wondering who now lived there.

"Really?" she sounded surprised. "That thing has been on the market for ages."

"Well, given the property value of the place and what Mr. Mayberry was trying to sell it for, can you blame the people who didn't want to pay a gazillion dollars for it, especially with the recession we're in," Vincent commented.

The house that sat on the top of the hill near the campus was well known in the area. It was located in a nice neighborhood and gated in seclusion. Mr. Mayberry, who had lived there for a long time with his wife, was a CEO of a billion dollar company and gradually kept adding to the house's structure, almost making it look like a castle with two tall pillars in the front porch. When he retired, he finally decided to sell the house and moved to Florida so that he and his wife could be closer to their grandchildren. The property was left on the market for years since no one was able to afford the price value of it.

"There have been at least a dozen trucks lined up entering the gate. Whoever this guy is, he seems to have enough stuff to fill that huge house," said Anastasia.

"Is he some sort of rich old guy like Mr. Mayberry?" Mina asked.

Her best friend shrugged. "I don't think so. From what some people had told me, he looks pretty young…and handsome!" she smirked, squeezing Vincent's leg, letting him know to not be jealous of her remark. He just rolled his eyes and let them continue their conversation. "All I know is that he looks European."

"And how would _you_ know?" Vincent raised an eyebrow.

"I don't," she shook her head with an attitude. "I just heard..."

"Maybe that's the owner's son or something?" Mina guessed. Anastasia and Vincent just shrugged. "Oh, crap!" she looked at her watch. "I gotta go, Mr. Wilkins is starting his class soon. I'll see you guys later!" She left money on the table and dashed out the door.

Mina did the nine-to-five job for a while, but she realized the type of profession that suited her didn't really suit her at all. She wasn't happy in her career and didn't feel she was meant for the corporate world and wanted to do something more enjoyable. She ran into Mr. Wilkins at the grocery store one day after she resigned from her job and after explaining her situation, he

offered her an assistant position for his classes. She had always been one of his favorite and brightest students.

He needed some extra help gathering materials and research for his lectures, and thought Mina would make a good assistant if she was interested. She was more than happy to accept and after clearing and finalizing a few things with the college about her employment, she started immediately. Mr. Wilkins had her correct last week's exams and wanted her to return them to him today for grading. While the students were taking this week's exams, he would give them their grade. She jetted across campus since she knew how important the papers were.

She started to get lightheaded, since she wasn't a jogger or a runner. All Mina kept thinking about was getting water for her parched throat, but she couldn't make any pit stops. She would just quietly collapse in the corner when she arrived and hoped someone would splash water on her when they found her dehydrated body. "Almost there," she breathed. As soon as she turned the corner, she saw Mr. Wilkins talking to someone outside of the building. She couldn't see who it was because this person's back was to her. The man was in a black peacoat, with blonde short-cropped, shaggy-like hair. She wiped the sweat off her forehead and pulled the papers out, walking over to them slowly.

"Ah, Mina there you are!" Mr. Wilkins waved to her. The man in the peacoat kept his back to her.

"Here are the papers. Sorry I'm late," she replied quietly.

"Don't worry about it. It shouldn't take me long to look through these since you've already corrected them." He reached out to take them from her. He stacked the papers neatly in his hands and smiled. "Well, I should get back to my students," he said to the man he was conversing with before she arrived. "Oh, Mina! Where is my brain today," the professor shook his head, laughing at himself. "I almost forgot. You remember Sir Greenleaf—err…Legolas, don't you?"

Mina froze as her heart felt like it just exploded out of her chest. He slowly turned around with a small smile on his lips. "Hello, Mina," he said coolly. Her arms went limp on her sides and she couldn't do anything but just stare at the man she thought was basically dead.

Mr. Wilkins didn't understand the strange, awkward silence between them and excused himself. "Well, it was nice to see you again, Legolas. I'll be in touch with Gandalf for this year's tour of the castle," he shook his hand.

Legolas politely smiled at him and turned his attention back to Mina after Mr. Wilkins entered the building. She tried to open her mouth to say something, but she was still in shock and couldn't form any sounds. "I know you probably have a lot of questions," he smirked at her expression. "Ouch! What was that for?" Mina had to poke him to be sure he was real and that it wasn't some sort dream again. He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and smiled. "Yes, I'm real," he said as if he knew exactly what she was thinking.

"Let's walk," was all she could muster out of her vocal cords and started to leave without waiting for him to catch up. Legolas quickly moved to keep up with her. Mina stopped abruptly as if she was going to say something again, but didn't, and started walking again. She did this a few times that threw Legolas off guard.

"Mina, stop," he finally put her to a halt. "Look at me." She kept shaking her head in disbelief, students passing by giving her weird looks for her behavior, others staring at the handsome prince.

"You…you were supposed to be…_dead_," she whispered her last word, glancing around in case anyone heard her.

He smiled, lightly laughing. "A spirit, but not _dead,_" he mimicked her teasingly.

"It's not funny, Legolas," she glowered. She was shocked, baffled, happy, nervous, and curious—everything out of the book you could think of. Mina didn't appreciate him making light of the situation when she had been trying so hard to forget about him and move on with her life because she thought she would never see him again.

"I'm sorry," he smiled. "I have missed you and your quirky little ways."

She blushed, turning away, which seemed to amuse him even more. "So, what are you doing here?" she asked in a slightly demanding tone.

"Here-_here_, or why am I alive-here?" he asked for specification, knowing full well what she meant. But, he felt like playing with her question to get a reaction out of her.

"Both," she rolled her eyes. They stopped under a cherry blossom tree and began talking.

"Well, I remember feeling warm and light…and happy where I was. Then, suddenly, darkness began to close around me again and I found myself plunged into the water behind the castle. Somehow Gandalf knew I would return and was expecting me. He took me out of the water, wrapped me in warm cloak, and brought me inside."

"So, you came back?" she asked quietly, which was more of a whispered statement to herself.

"Yes, a few days later. Well, technically, my body did," he corrected her.

"Huh?"

"The ritual was a success in the sense that my immortal being was able to be released so that Elise and I can be together. My _mortal _body, however, is another story. My spiritual essence is still with Elise in the afterlife, always and forever. But, I suppose the gods took pity on my mortal soul and allowed me to return."

She noticed him grin a little. "So…you didn't know that would happen?" she asked curiously.

"Not at all," he shook his head. "From how Gandalf has explained it to me, my spirit split into two—immortal and mortal. It is something that has never happened before given the rare circumstances when we met."

"What do you mean?"

"One does not have a reason to return to the world of the living unless he has a reason to," he looked into her eyes.

"You're speaking in riddles again," Mina moved her gaze to the grass. She still could never get used to the way he stared at her. It made her heart beat like drums in her chest with the slightest of attention from him.

Legolas chuckled at her seemingly clueless demeanor. "Mina," he raised her chin up, "I came back for _you_. The gods knew where the other part of my heart belonged and allowed me to live my other life with _you_."

"Me?" she still had the look of a deer caught in headlights on her face.

"Do I really have to spell everything out for you?" he shook his head, laughing again. "For a smart girl, you can be very obtuse sometimes."

"Okay, okay…" she shook the confused trance her brain was in and tried her best to process everything he had just told her. "So, you came all this way to Seattle to see me?"

"Of course not," he lightly scoffed.

"Oh…" her small smile faded into a disappointed frown. "Then why are you here? I thought you said…"

The prince unexpectedly gathered her into his arms, her face turning even brighter under the shade of the tree. "I _said_ I came back for _you_," he whispered into her ear. He gave their bodies space so that he could see her reaction. Mina just blinked at him. "I am not here to see you, Mina. I came here in hopes that you will still allow me to be in your life…that is, if you don't already have someone in it," he said, somewhat preparing himself for disappointment if she did. It had been a year, after all.

"No, there's no one," she quickly shook her head.

"Good!" his smile and light mood returned.

She looked at him, examining his hair. "You cut your hair…" she gently caressed a piece of his blonde locks.

Legolas nodded. "I thought it was time to make a few changes in this mortal body. The most drastic thing I could think of doing was to cut my hair. As they say, one step at a time," he smirked at her.

"What hotel are you staying at? The Westin? The Fairmont? The Sheraton? How long will you be here for? And why were you talking to Mr. Wilkins?" She shot him with a million questions now that she was able to fully speak again.

He didn't mind the questioning and just continued to laugh softly, as he was expecting it from her, given his surprised reappearance. "I came by to see Mr. Wilkins to talk about his next visit to the Water Castle this summer. I left Gandalf in charge of everything, telling your professor that I was busy with meetings and travelling so I could not entertain him this year."

"Funny how he's never mentioned anything to me," Mina replied. She had been Mr. Wilkins's assistant for almost three months now and never heard him once talk about the trip to Europe.

"Gandalf had asked him not to mention the trip yet to the students until things were finalized with the school and itineraries," he explained.

"Well, I guess Mr. Wilkins has a habit of being forgetful, too, sometimes. Anyways…where are you staying?"

"Not far," he grinned. "Just up the hill or so."

"Up the hill?" her eyes grew wider. "But there aren't any hotels—wait. _You're_ the one who bought the Mayberry Estate?" His grin turned into a full smile now. "Well, of course, it would be you," she rolled her eyes. "Who else could afford that place?"

"I have been looking into a place of residence in Seattle for the last few months, hoping to be closer to you. I was also hoping that after you graduated, you would still stay close within the area. Fortune was luckily on my side when Mr. Wilkins mentioned you were his assistant, which made it easier for me to find you," he smiled again.

Mina was dumbfounded. "You travelled clear across the ocean and moved here to be with _me_?"

"Well, I assumed you wouldn't want to leave your family and friends to live with me in Europe so suddenly, so I thought why not just move here instead?" The prince shrugged like it was no big deal, giving her a crooked grin. "I have never been to Seattle before so perhaps you can show me around?"

"I think I can do that," she tried suppressing a smile.

Legolas caressed her cheek, admiring her quietly. "You know I love you, Mina," he finally whispered, "and I intend on keeping my promise to you of loving you forever and giving you all that I have in this new life and the next."

She searched deeply into his eyes and saw the truth in them. She practically jumped on him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck, which made him laugh again, holding her tightly against him. His familiar scent and the feel of his strong arms around her put her in a state of bliss. "So, you're mine? Really mine?" she asked sheepishly.

"Yes, love, I am all yours," he kissed her forehead, slowly bringing his head down so that his lips could meet hers. Mina's entire body felt like it was tingling and hadn't realized how much she had been longing for his touch. She could hear a few people snickering at their displays of affection but she didn't care. Nothing else mattered in that moment.

The prince broke their kiss off sooner than Mina wanted and slightly pouted. He smiled and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and told her they would have plenty of time for a formal reunion. "So, what did you want to do now then?" she asked. "I don't really have anything else to do for Mr. Wilkins today."

"Eat!" he suddenly exclaimed.

"Eat?" Mina laughed. "No sightseeing then?"

"We can do that afterwards. This mortal body seems to always be hungry. It took some time to adjust to. I feel that my steps are also much heavier and I cannot see as far as I used to," he squinted his eyes into the distance.

"That's being _human_ for you," she smirked. "You'll get used to it, I'm sure."

"And I have _you_ to show me the so called 'ropes'," he winked at her. Mina stepped closer to him with her head slightly bent down. "What is the matter? Are you…all right?" he placed his hands on her shoulders, concern suddenly flooding him.

Mina looked up and gave him a half-smile. "I love you, Legolas," she said quietly.

The concern he felt washed away and donned another smile in its place. "I love you, too, Mina," he replied, kissing her hand. "Now…let's go eat!" he pulled her to the nearest restaurant.

**THE END**

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**Author's Note:** I hope you enjoyed the ending! Thank you all so much for your reviews and support with this story! I had fun writing it. Keep me on author alert if you might be interested in future stories from me. Thank you again and happy reading/writing. Cheers!


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